PLYMOUTH 



P I L G K I M S 



OB 



INCIDENTS OF ADVENTUHE IN THE HISTORY 
OF THE FIRST SETTLERS. 



U'' 



JOSEPH BANVARD. 



BOSTON: 
GOULD AND LINCOLN, 

59 -WASHINGTON STKEET. 

1853. 




Entered according to Act of "^^isfress, in the year 1851, by 

GOULD AND LINCOLN, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetta. 



/ 



.17-^ 



J 



STEREOTYPED AT THE 
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. 



PREFACE 



The history of our country is full of interest. 
The annals of our own Commonwealth, and 
especially of our Pilgrim fathers, abound with 
vivid illustrations of fearless courage, enduring 
fortitude, ingenious strategy, and romantic ad- 
venture. 

The object of the present volume is to give 
a plain and correct account of the prominent 
events which have occurred in the history of 
Plymouth, the oldest colony in New England. 
"We, of course, have not given all the incidents, 
neither could we in a volume of reasonable 
size. We have confined ourselves to the more 
interesting and important. 



4 PREFACE. 

Such facts only are related as we presumed 
would afford entertainment and instruction to 
the mass of the people, and especially to the 
youth. A glance at the table of contents will 
show the nature and variety of our subjects. 
We have indulged in only a few moral reflec- 
tions, but have furnished materials eminently 
suggestive of them. We present facts ; our 
readers can deduce their own inferences. 

In the preparation of the work we have 
availed ourselves , of the most reliable sources 
of information from the journals and letters of 
the first Pilgrims down to historians of a recent 
date. 

Each of the engravings is illustrative of some 
incident of which we have given an account. 



NOTICE. 



The Publishers, in presenting to the reading public this 
first volume of Rev. Mr. Banvard's Series of American 
Histories, are happy to aimounce that other volumes of the 
series are in course of preparation. 

This series of Histories will be made up of interesting 
and important events which have occurred in the United 
States since the first settlement of the country ; illustrating, 
the trials and adventures of the early colonists both at 
the North and the South, their intercourse and conflicts 
with the natives, their peculiarities of character and 
manners, the gradual development of their institutions, 
sketches of their prominent men in both the Church and 
the State, incidents in the Revolution, with various other 
subjects of interest of more recent date. It is intended to 
be adapted to the popular mind, and especially to the 
youth of our country, illustrated with numerous fine en- 
gravings. There will be twelve or more 18mo. volumes, 
consisting of about three hundred pages each ; each vol- 
ume to be complete in itself; and yet, when all are pub- 
lished, they will, together, form a regular Series of 
Consecutive American History. 
1* 



LIST 

OF 

ILLUSTRATIONS 



I. KOBINSON'S- PEAYER AT THE DEPAKTUEE OF 

THE PILGRIMS FROM DELPH HAVEN, 
n. ILLUSTEATED TITLE PAGE. 

m. MAP OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY 18 

IV. THE COPPER CHAIN 60 

V. FIVE KERNELS OF COEN 140 

VL SIE CHRISTOPHER GARDNER TAKEN 169 

VIL CAPTURE OF ANNAWON BY STRATAGEM 252 

VnL LIKENESS OF MISS REBECCA RAWSON *.. 198 

IX. PRISONERS IN STOCKS 206 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

A Vessel. — Something unusual on Board. — Sympathy. — Pastor's 
Prayer. — Separation. — Arrival at Southampton. — Robinson's Let- 
ter. — Division of the Company. — Choice of Officers. — Departure 
from England. — Put back to Dartmouth. — Start again. — Return 
to Plymouth. — One Vessel abandoned. — The other starts alone. — 
Storms. — Death at Sea. — Disheartening Event. — " Laud." — Cape 
Cod Harbor. — Puritan Pilgrims. — Thanks. — The Compact. — 
Election of Governor. —The Men ashore. — Their Discoveries. — 
The Shallop. — An Expedition proposed » 19 



CHAPTER II. 

Exploring Party. — See Indians. — Their Pursuit and Behavior.— 
Night. — Pursuit renewed. — Great Thirst. — The first Drink of 
New England Water. — Deer. — Indian Graves. — Corn- found 
buried. — Large Kettle. — A Fort.— River discovered.— Encampment 
in a stormy Night. — The Party lost. — Trap found in the Woods. — 
Reasons for minute Description Strength of Principle. — Wa- 
ter Excursion. — A Party land. — Mumhiies discovered. — Wig- 
wams and Contents.— First Birth. — Third Excursion. — Midnight 
Alarm. — Skirmish with the Indians. — Thanks for Victory 



I CONTENTS. 

Storm and Danger. — Clark's Island Sabbath observed. — Land- 
ing of the Pilgrims. — Division of the Land. — Commence build- 
ing. — Fire. — Two Men lost. — Their Adventures. — The first 
Sabbath on the main Land.— The first Winter. — The Number of 
Immigrants. — Suffering. — Deaths. — Place called Plymouth. — 
Return of the Mayflower 



CHAPTER III. 

A strange Visitor. — Unexpected Salutation. — Information given. — 
A Difficulty. — Kidnapper. — Indians enslaved. — More Visitors. — 
Squanto's Adventures. — Indian Chiefs. — Visit of Ceremony. — 
First Treaty. — The Visit returned. — Massasoit's Poverty. — Novel 
Mode of Eeling.— First Offence. — The Penalty. — Billington'g 
Character. — Fu-st Duel, — Peculiar Punishment. — Praying for 
Mercy. — Character of the Government 



CHAPTER IV. 

Plymouth in Summer. — Annoyance of Indian Loungers. — Visit to 
Massasoit. — Delivery of Presents. — The Message. — The Copper 
Chain. — Hard Lodging. — Subordinate Sachems. — Sports. — Shoot- 
ing Fish. — Return of the Messengers. — Storm at Night. — Effect of 
theVisit. — Boy missing. — A Party sent after him. — Their Adven- 
tures. — (Jet News of the Boy. — lyanough. — An old Squaw. — 
Her violent Passion. — Reason of it. — How she is pacified. — 
Indian Officiousness. — The Owner of the buried Com found. — 
The lost Boy restored. — Natives rewarded. — Rumors of War. — 
Danger of the Colony 51 



CHAPTER V. 

Startling Rumors. — Squanto reconnoitres. — Is taken. — Design3 
against him. — Supposed Murder. —Party sent to Middleborough. — 
Midnight Attack. — Frightened Indians. — Squanto found. — 



CONTENTS. . 9 

. ■» 
Treatment of the Wounded. — Voyage to Massachusetts. — Origin 
of the Name. — Conduct of the Squaws. — The first Summer in 
Plymouth. — Preparatrons for Winter. — Colony alarmed. — Prepare 
to resist Invaders. — Pleasant Disappointment. — Arrival of the 
Fortune. — She brings no Stores. — The Consequence. -^ The For- 
tune returns. — Her Cargo and Capture 61 



CHAPTER VI. 

Singular Visitor. — Mysterious Package for Squanto. — The Visitor 
made a Captive. — His Disclosures. — He is released and sent home 
with a bold Message. — Squanto explains the Package. — A Package 
of Powder and Balls sent in Reply to it. — It is regarded with Ter- 
ror. — Finally sent back unopened. — Defensive Preparations. — First 
General Muster. — An Indian's Advice. — Another Expedition. — 
Signal for Return. — Why called back. — Hobbamock denies Indian 
Rumors. — Squanto falls under Suspicion. — His deceitful Con- 
duct. — Buried Plague. — Massasoit demands Squanto's Death. — 
The Messengers ready to kill him. — His unexpected Deliver- 
ance. — Messengers offended. — More Immigrants Winslow sent 

to Maine for Food. — Massacre in Virginia. — Fort built. — Used as 
a Church. — Puritan Character , 



CHAPTER VII. 

Arrival of the Charity and the Swan. — A New Colony. — Its Mate- 
rials. — Its Object. — Its Difficulties. — An Expedition in Partner- 
ship. — Chatham. — Shyness of the Natives. — Success in Trade. — 
Squanto dies. — His last Request. — His History. — Favorable Prov- 
idence. — Indiscretion of the New Colony. — Storm. — The Shallop 
aground.— Stores left in the Care of Indians. — The Return. — Pu- 
ritan Firmness. — Indian Theft. — Restoration demanded. — Its 
Result. — Ludicrous Ceremony. — Folly of Imitation — Indian 
Gamblers. — Mysterious Visitors. — Their Object. — Indian Brawl 
and Murder. — Hobbamock's Advice. — A Powwow executed 81 



10 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Fears of Conspiracy. — Illness of Massasoit. — Winslovv, with two 
others, sets out to visit him. — Arrives at a Ferry. — Hears that Mas- 
sasoit is dead. — Hobbamock's deep Grief. — His Description of the 
Chief. — They visit Corbitant's House. — A Messenger sent to Pok- 
anoket. — Returns with the News that Massasoit is yet alive. — 
The Party press on. — Their Arrival. — Powwows at work upon the 
sick Chief. — Winslovv prescribes for him. — He improves. — Eats 
too hearty, and becomes worse. — Indian Custom. — Efforts to per- 
suade Massasoit to oppose the English. — They are unsuccessful. — 
Massasoit reveals the Conspiracy. — His Advice. — Conversation 
with Corbitant. — How the Puritans taught the Indians. — Origin of 
Traditions 92 



CHAPTER IX. 

Condition of Weston's Colony. — Man drowned in digging Clams. — 
Indian Policy. — The Men rob them. — Indians complain. — A 
slinderous Tradition. — Butler perpet&ates it. — Its Origin. — Plym- 
outh not responsible for Weymouth. — Consultation of the two Col- 
onies. — Sanders goes to Maine for Provisions. — Dangers of the 
English. — Their Perils considered by the Court. — Standish sent to 
Weymouth to capture Indians. — His Instructions. — Insulting 
Conduct of the Indians. — Pratt's providential Escape. — He relates 
the wretched Condition of Weymouth. — Pratt is pursued. — His 
Pursuer captured as a Spy. — Standish arrives at Weymouth. — 
Makes known the Conspiracy. — The Captain's Policy. — Indians 
pretend they know his Object. — Their Insults. — The boasting of 
Indian Braves. — The forbearance of the Captain 104 



CHAPTER X. 

Silent, but fearful Massacre. — Hobbamock compliments Standish. — 
Women held Captives. — An Indian escapes. — Three English- 
men among the'Indians. — The Indians haste away at Midnight. — 



CONTENTS. 11 

They meet Standish and his Men. — A Skirmish. — The Indians 
defeated. — Hobbamock's Bravery. — The Indian Women released 
uninjured. — The Puritans responsible for the Massacre. — Their 
Apology. — A young Indian's Confession. — Standish returns, 
taking an Indian's Head. — The captured Spy recognizes it. — The 
Spy released and sent as a Messenger. — A Squaw brings back an 
Answer. — The three Englishmen killed. — The Terror of the Na- 
tives. — They attempt to send a Peace-offering to the Governor. — 
The Boat is wrecked. — Robinson's Letter 118 



CHAPTER XI. 

The Conspiracy checked. —Arrival of a Blacksmith in disguise.— 
Who he is. — He hears unwelcome News. — He sails for Wey- 
mouth. — Is cast away and robbed. — Kindness of the Puritans 

Repaid with Ingratitude. — The Puritans without a Charter. — The 
Advantage of it. — Their first Patent. — The Ambition of John 
Pierce, — Is disappointed. — Arrival of more Immigrants and 
Stores. — The Distress of the Colony. — Admiral West. — Cannot 
subdue the Fishermen. — Community of Goods abandoned. — Self- 
Dependence. — Its Results. — The five Kernels of Corn. — No 
Bread. — Patience of the Sufferers. — Long Drought. — Day of 
Fasting and Prayer. — Refreshing Showers. — Effect upon the Na- 
tives 129 



CHAPTER XII. 

John Lyford. — His Obsequiousness. — His Connection with John 
Oldham.- (Governor Bradford takes Copies of their Letters. — Old- 
ham rebels. —Lyford sets up a Meeting.— Their Trial. — The Gov- 
ernor's Address. — Both found guilty. — Oldham banished. — Ly- 
ford's Confession and deep Sorrow. — Repeats -his Offence. — Old- 
ham returns. — His abusive Conduct. — Sentenced to run the 
Gantlet. — He reforms. — Is killed by the Indians. — Timely 
Abundance. — Trade with the Kennebec. — Return Ship captured.— 



12 CONTENTS. 

Escape of Standish from Slavery. — Death of John Robinson.— 
His Character. — Death of Robert Cushman. — He preached the 
first Sermon in New England. — Its Character. — Extracts 141 



CHAPTER XIII. 

A Pinnace built. — Messengers from the Dutch. —Reception of De 
Razier. — Trade with him. — Wampum. — The Colony without a 
Pastor. — Original Agreement respecting their old Pastor. — A Min- 
ister found at Nantasket. — He becomes the Plymouth Pastor. — His 
Character. — Roger Williams. — His Troubles at Salem. — Goes to 
Plymouth as an Assistant. — Returns to Salem. — He cultivates Ac- 
quaintance with the Natives. —John Billington.— Commits Mur- 
der. —Is tried and executed. — The Tendency of Sin. — A Ship- 
wreck.— Kindness of the Indians. — Difficulties adjusted. — Gov- 
ernor Winthrop's Visit to Plymouth. — Singular Puritan Custom. — 
Discussion about the Use of " Goodman Such-a-one." — Hue's 
Cross 154 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Sir Christopher Gardner. —Foments Trouble. — Is charged with Big- 
amy. — Is pursued. — Is delivered up by Indians. — Indian Custom 
to secure a Welcome. — Small-pox. — Trade extended.— Adven- 
tures on the Connecticut. —Troubles on the Kennebec— Captain 
Hocking killed. — A Plymouth Magistrate arrested in Boston. — Ex- 
citement at Plymouth. — Deputies sent to Boston. — Prayer before 
Business. — The Defence. —The Confession. — The Adjustment.— 
A Hurricane. — Its dreadful Ravages. — Eclipse of the Moon 167 



CHAPTER XV. 

An Indian murdered. — Four Englishmen in Want. — They visit 
Roger Williams. — Are found to be the Murderers. — Three are 
caught. —Their Trial. — Singular Difficulty. — Their Execution. — 



CONTENTS. 13 

Effect of Puritan Justice on the Indians. — Anecdote of Captain 
Standish. — Alden talces his new Bride home on a Bull. — Confed- 
eration of the New England Colonies. — Germ of the American 
Union. — Its Influence. — Indian Alliances. — The Removal of the 
whole Colony proposed. — Subject considered by the Church. — 
Purchase Eastham. — Found to be more unfavorable than Plym- 
outh.— The Project a'bandoned. — Ex-Governor Prince settles at 
Eastham 176 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Quakers ordered out of the Colony. — They refuse to obey. — All for- 
bidden to harbor duakers. — Humphrey Norton imprisoned. — Qua- 
kers' Contempt of Government. — Insolence to the Governor. — 
Refuse to take Oath.— Are whipped. —Norton's Letters. — Fanat- 
icism always troublesome. — No Quaker or Ranter permitted to be 
a Freeman. — A House of Correction ordered to be built. — Six 
Quakers banished on Pain of Death. — Milder Laws. — Four Per- 
sons appointed to reason with them. — One of these becomes a 
Quaker. — All Persons authorized to arrest them. — Their Meetings 
forbidden. — Severity excites Sympathy. — Rigorous Measures were 
not universally approved. — Charles II. ascends the Throne of Eng- 
land. — He suppresses the Persecutions. — Secretary Rawson. — 
His Daughter Rebecca receives the attentions of Thomas Rum- 
sey. — Marries him. — Accompanies him to England. — Finds a 
Relative. — Conduct of her Husband. — Painful Discovery. — Her 
Abandonment.— Her Self-reliance. — Embarks for Jamaica. — 
Arrival there. — Her unhappy End 185 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The Enactment of Law develops Character. — Trial by Jurj\ —Wants 
of the Colony to be supplied first. — Exports forbidden. — Those 
who refused the Office of Governor to be fined. — Bradford released 
by Importunity. — How different now. — Marriage forbidden with- 
out the Consent of Parents. — Intentions of Marriage to be pub- 

3 , 



14 CONTENTS. 

lished. — Consent of Parents to be obtained to address their Daugh- 
ters. — Punishment to depend upon " Q-uality " of the OiSender. — 
Short Sleeves forbidden. — Laws against Contempt of the Scrip- 
tures. — Sabbath-breaking and Gambling Laws executed. — Stocks 
and Cage always ready. — Psalm Singing. — Courtship punished. — 
Abuse of Husbands. — Blackbirds' Heads to be obtained. — Ef- 
fects of Union of Church and State. — Every Colony to have a 
Church. — Church Rates. — Whales — Ministers forbidden to leave 
their People. — Meeting-house in every Town. — Parental Instruc- 
tion. — Schools. — Arms must be taken to Meeting. — Indians and 
Wolves. — Effects of these Laws. — The Bible the Basis of their 
Legislation 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Fifty Years of Peace. — New Settlements. — Converted Indians. — 
Native Preachers. — Philip and the Button. — Indian Magistrates. — 
Indian Warrant. — Alexander succeeds Massasoit. — Suspicions 
against him. — His Death. — Philip becomes Grand Sachem. — Pur- 
sues John Gibbs for reviling the Dead. — His Alliance with the 
Narragansetts. — He desires Revenge — Ordered to come to Plym- 
outh.— Declines. — Invites the Governor to come tohim. — They 
meet at Taunton. — Singular Scene in a Church. — The Treaty. — 
Indignant Sachem. — Treaty violated. — Conference at Plymouth. — 
Indian Confederacy. — Philip's deep Plot against the English.— 
Their Security. — Philip angry with Sassamon. — The latter flees 
to the English. — The Plot revealed. — Sassamon missing. — Philip 
again examined. — No Confession. — Suspicions increase 219 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Harvard College. — Indian Students. — Sassamon. — Search for 
him. — Body found. — Murderers arrested and executed. — Philip 
enraged. — Preparations for Conflict. — Bold Language. — Opinion 
respecting the first Fire.— Indians pant for Plunder. —War be- 
gan. — English killed on Fast Day. — Excitement in the Colonies. — 



CONTENTS. 15 

Enlisting Recruits in Boston. — Bridgewater Horsemen. — People 
driven from their burning Houses. — The English surprised and 
slain. — Affecting Scene. — Philip pursued. — Found at Dinner.— 
Escapes. — Mutilated Englishmen. — Fuller's narrow Escape. — 
Church's brave Adventure.— Gelding's timely Arrival.— Marvel- 
lous Preservation. — Church's Visit to the Spring amidst a Shower 
of Balls 224 



CHAPTER XX. 

Philip retreats to a Swamp. — An Ambush. — Wigwams found. — 
Philip escapes by Water. — Route discovered.— Ministers fight. — 
Philip overtaken. — A Battle ensues. — The War becomes gen- 
eral. — Its Consequences. — Disgraceful Conduct towards the Dart- 
mouth Indians. — Sold into Slarvery. — Influence on other Tribes. — 
Philip's Ravages in Plymouth. — Retreats to a Swamp. — The 
Swamp surrounded. — Philip shot. — The Enemy routed. — The 
Gun preserved. — Philip beheaded and quartered. — His Head and 
Hand preserved. — Bitter Spirit of the English. — His Head exposed 
many Years , 236 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The War not ended. — Annawon holds out. — Prowls around the 
Town. — Church goes in Pursuit. — Captures a Party of Indians. — 
Man seeking his Father. — Church discovers a Path. — Takes an old 
Indian and young Girl — Examines them. — Learns Annawon's 
Retreat. — Old Man becomes Guide. — He refuses to fight against his 
Chief. — Leads them to Annawon's Encampment. — High Rock. — 
Exciting Scene.— Church's Stratagem. — Its Execution. — Anna- 
won surprised. — The whole Band captured. — Leaders cannot 
sleep. — Philip's Ornaments delivered up. — Church's Anxiety. — 
Morning. — Prisoners taken to Plymouth. — What shall be done 
with them ? — Opinion of Ministers. — Young Annawon.— Prison- 
ers sold into Slavery. — Church opposed to it 245 



16 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

The Colonies affected by the Home Government. — Arrival of An- 
dros. —Encourages Episcopacy. — Declares Land Titles invalid. — 
Appropriates public Property to private Uses. — Prohibits Town 
Meetings. — Other Oppressions. — Andros imprisoned. — Nathaniel 
Clark seized, — Clark's Island. — The first Sabbath. — Wiswall 
imprisoned. — Absence from Town Meetings fined. — A Price for 
Wolves' Heads. — The first Selectmen. — The first Marriage. — 
An honored Lady. — Introduction of Neat Cattle. — First Record 
of Horses. — A Present to Philip. — Merry Mount. — Weetamore be- 
headed. — Its Effect on the Indians. — French Vessel wrecked. — 
The Crew seized as Prisoners. — Doctor Le Baron. — His Settle- 
ment and Marriage. — His Attachment to the Cross. — A Premium 
for Rats' Heads. — First public Celebration of " The Landing." — 
The Dinner. — The famous Rock. — Its Locality proved. — The 
Evidence of Elder Faunce and others. — The Rock splits. — A 
good Omen. — Is removed. — Treatment of Tories. — Wonderful 
Egg. — Dreadful Shipwreck. — Statistics 257 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Attachment to the Scriptures. — Reason of Puritanic Singularities.— 
Precise in their Manners. — Their Ministers of equal Authority. — 
Their Government republican. — Their Self-reliance and divine 
Dependence. —Were not vindictive.— Did not come here to establish 
universal Toleration. — Their Object was Liberty for themselves.— 
This the Origin of their Opposition to other Sects. — The Prospec- 
tive Influence of their Principles ! 



52 i\ If> 







EASSASiaOiJSl'if'ii'S IBi\17. 



CHAPTER I, 



" They crowd the strand, 
Those few, lone pilgrims. Can ye scan the woe 
That wrings their bosoms, as the last frail link 
Binding to man and habitable earth 
Is severed ? Can ye tell what pangs were there, 
What keen regrets, what sickness of the heart, 
What yearning o'er their forfeit land of birth 5 
Their distant, dear ones ? " — Sigournet. 



A Vessel. — Something unusual on Board. — Sympathy. — Pastor's 
Prayer, — Separation. — Arrival at Southampton. — Robinson's 
Letter. — Division of the Company. — Choice of Officers.— 
Departure from England. — Put back to Dartmouth. — Start 
again. — Return to Plymouth. ^- One Vessel abandoned. — The 
other starts alone. — Storms. — Death at Sea. — Disheartening 
Event. — "Land." — Cape Cod Harbor. — Puritan Pilgrims.— 
Thanks. — The Compact. — Election of Governor. — The Men 
ashore. — Their Discoveries. — The Shallop. —An Expedition 
proposed. 

About July 22, in the year of our Lord 1^0, 
at Delpli Haven, in Holland, might have been seen 
a company of devout Christian men and women 
on board of a frail vessel of peculiar structure. A 
casual observer might have perceived that something 
unusual was in progress. Little groups were stand- 
ing here and there in earnest conversation ; others, 
by themselves, were looking over the sides of the 
vessel, or gazing with deep interest upon objects with 
which they were famiUar, but which they never ex- 



20 Robinson's prayer. 

pected to behold again. Some were hurrying to 
and fro, making rapid inquiries, to ascertain that 
nothing which they needed on board was left behind. 
Friends who sympatliized with them had come from 
a distance to give them the parting hand, and pro- 
nounce upon them their farewell blessing. When 
the hour of their departure arrived, and they could 
tarry no longer among those whom they loved so 
well, their pastor, Rev. John Robinson, falling upon 
his knees in the midst of the little company, who 
also knelt around him, commended them, in a most 
fervent prayer, to the kind protection of their heav- 
enly Father. After the religious services were over, 
" with mutual embraces," they took their leave of 
those who were to remain behind. 

" Truly doleful was the sight," says Governor 
Bradford, " of that sad and mournful parting ; to 
see what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound 
amongst them ; what tears did gush from every 
eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other's heart, 
that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on 
the quay as spectators could not refrain from tears." 
Winslow, who was with the company on board, says, 
that when they separated, " We gave them a volley 
of small shot, and three pieces of ordnance, and so 
lifting up our hands to each other, and our hearts 
for each other to the Lord our God, we departed, 
and found liis presence with us." They directed 



THE DEPARTURE. 21 

their course to Southampton, where they found a 
larger vessel, commanded by Captain Jones, waiting 
for them, as were also Mr. Cushman and the rest 
of the church, who were to accompany them across 
the patliless waters to a new world. 

Whilst they were tarrying there, they received a 
letter from their pastor, at Leyden, Rev. John Rob- 
inson, who, though he could not accompany them, 
cherished a deep interest in the success of their 
enterprise, and who availed liimself of this early 
opportunity to send them an epistle filled with 
judicious counsels and cautions. The company 
were soon called together, and listened with great 
pleasure to the valuable advice of their religious 
guide. They were then divided into two parties 
for the two ships. In order that every thing might 
be properly conducted on board of their respective 
vessels, each party, with the i^ermission of their 
captain, chose a governor and two or three assist- 
ants, who were to exercise over them a general 
supervision. 

On the 5th of August, the two vessels, the names 
of which were the Mayflower and the Speedwell, 
left Southampton on their perilous voyage. But 
they had not sailed far, before the Speedwell, which 
was the smaller vessel of the two, was found to be 
in a very leaky condition. It was deemed danger- 
ous to proceed. This was pecuUarly unfortunate 



22 THE RpTURN. 

They both put back to Dartmouth, where the vesse 
was examined and repaired. She was found to be 
in such bad condition, that if she had continued at 
sea but a few hours k)nger, she must liave sunk. 

About the 21st of August, they ventured to sea 
once more, and after having advanced above a 
hundred leagues, the same vessel was found to leak 
again, more badly, if possible, than before. They 
returned now to Plymouth. Upon a second exam- 
ination, as no important leak was found, the trouble 
was attributed to her general weakness, on which 
account she was reluctantly abandoned as an unsafe 
craft in which to encounter the dangers of the At- 
lantic. But it was afterwards ascertained that the 
whole difficulty was caused by the deceitfulness of 
the captain and crew of the Speedwell. They had 
engaged to remain in the new country, whither they 
were going, a whole year ; but they repented of 
their bargain. They feared that when the provisions 
which they carried with them were exhausted, they 
would be unable to obtain more, and consequently 
would perish from famine. They therefore pre- 
tended that their vessel was not sea-worthy, in 
order to have an excuse for retreating from their 
engagement, and tarrying behind. Some of them 
afterwards confessed their timidity, and revealed the 
stratagem. After the abandonment of the Speed- 
well, as it was found impossible to accommodate all 



A. STORM. 23 

of her passengers in the other ship, some of them 
were compelled to relinquish the voyage. This gave 
occasion for another painful separation. Among 
those who remained behind was Mr. Robert Cush- 
man, who had been deeply interested in the ar- 
rangements and objects of the emigration, and who 
afterwards took a prominent part in the history of 
the colony. 

Captain Jones, of the Mayflower, received on 
board his vessel as many of the passengers of the 
Speedwell as, with their stores, it was safe for him 
to carry, and on the 6th of September, started 
alone. The little vessel, freigiited with the future 
liberties and glory of a great nation, was soon over- 
taken by violent storms, which strained her, rendered 
her leaky, and cracked one of the " main beams 
of the mid-ships." Fears were entertained that she 
would never reach her destined shores. One of the 
passengers having brought " a great iron screw from 
Holland," it was employed in bringing the broken 
beam into its place again, where it was securely 
fastened by the carpenter. The storm continued to 
rage so furiously that not a single sail could be used, 
and they were tossed helplessly about for many 
days together, hke a feather upon the boisterous 
waves. An additional ingredient in their cup of 
sorrow was the unwelcome visit of death. To one 
of their number the green bed of the ocean fur- 



24 BURIAL AT SEA. 

nished a grave. A burial at sea is always impres- 
sive. The solemnity of the sliip's company ; the 
placing of the corpse on the narrow plank ; the 
brief prayer — perhaps the absence of prayer ; the 
raising of the corpse to the side of the vessel by 
those who had been the cheerful companions of the 
deceased thus far ; the last look ; the launch into the 
sea ; the sullen, gurghng plunge ; its disappearance 
without leaving a trace behind ; and the sense of loss 
wliich tlie survivors feel ; — all combined, serve to 
render such a catastrophe deeply affecting ; but, in 
the present instance, it was unusually so. This band 
of pilgrims were on their way to a country destitute 
of civihzed inhabitants. They were about to form a 
settlement in an inhospitable clime, and among sav- 
age men, three thousand miles from their own land. 
Their whole number would be sufficiently small to be 
placed in such perilous circumstances, so far from 
those who could aid them, in case help should be 
needed. To all appearance they could spare none. 
When, therefore, this death occurred on their 
voyage, it must have been a disheartening event. It 
must have served to deepen their sense of depend- 
ence upon that great and good Being, under whose 
auspices the enterprise was commenced, and without 
whose constant care it would inevitably fail. 

November 9, the cheering cry was heard, " Land, 
land ! " It proved to be Cape Cod. As it was 



PURITAN PILGRIMS. 25 

their design to commence their settlements in the 
vicinity of Hudson's River, they steered their course 
southerly to reach the mouth of that noble stream. 
They soon found themselves among shoals and 
breakers. As the wind subsided, they discovered 
that they were in danger and could not proceed. 
They retraced their course, and by the next day 
arrived at the Cape Harbor. 

• This band of adventurers were Puritan Pil- 
grims, who, because they could not enjoy liberty of 
conscience in their own country, had most unwill- 
ingly, and at great sacrifice, left it, in order that they 
might find a place where they could worship God, 
and enjoy the ordinances of religion according to 
their own views of duty, without the opposition of 
the civil power. Another object which they had in 
view, and which they ever kept constantly before 
them, was the conversion of the natives of the coun- 
try whither they were going — the savage and super- 
stitious Indians, to Christianity. 

As every thing connected with the landing and 
the first settlement of these Pilgrims is both inter- 
esting and instructive, we shall enter somewhat into 
the details of their early adventures. 

The Puritans were men of prayer. In all under- 
takings of importance, they were accustomed to 
seek direction from their heavenly Father, and 
implore his blessing. Accordingly, on Saturday, 
3 



26 THE COMPACT. 

November 11, religious services were held on board 
of the Mayflower. They fell on their knees, 
rendered thanks to God for his kind protection of 
them during their dangerous voyage across the 
ocean, and implored his favor to rest upon them 
amid the toils, trials, and temptations upon which 
they were now to enter. 

As some of the party were " not well affected to 
unity and concord, but gave some appearance of 
faction," it was deemed advisable to enter into a 
mutual compact or agreement. Accordingly, a doc- 
ument vv'as prepared, in which they said, " Having 
undertaken, for the glory of God and the advance- 
ment of the Christian faith and honor of our king 
and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in 
the northern parts of Virginia, we do, by these 
pi'esents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of 
God and one another, covenant and combine our- 
selves together into a civil body politic, for our 
better ordering, and preservation, and furtherance 
of the ends aforesaid ; and by virtue hereof to 
enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal 
laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, 
from time to time, as shall be thought most meet 
and convenient for the general good of the colony ; 
unto which we promise all due submission and 
obedience." 

Tliis important document, which was " the birth 



ELECTION OF GOVERNOR. ^ 

of popular constitutional liberty," was signed by all 
the men. It was the formation of a government of 
" equal laws " for " the general good." It was 
the germ of those free institutions which are now 
diffusing liberty, prosperity, and happiness through- 
out our highly-favored New England. Its influence 
upon the subsequent history of our country cannot 
be too highly valued. 

Their next measure was the election of a gov- 
ernor for the year. Their choice fell upon John 
Carver, who is described as " a pious and well- 
approved gentleman." The high estimation in 
which he was held is evinced by the fact that he 
was chosen unanimously. Thus their government 
was formed and their governor chosen before they 
left the deck of the Mayflower ! 

The same day, a company of fifteen or sixteen 
men, well armed, so as to defend themselves 
against the Indians, went on shore to obtain wood, 
as their stock on board was exhausted, and also to 
examine the land, and discover, if possible, inhab- 
itants. They found the country covered with trees 
of various kinds, among which were sassafras, juni- 
per, walnut, ash, birch, oaks, and pines. These 
were free from under-bush, so that they might have 
rode among them without inconvenience. No in- 
habitants were seen. They loaded their boat with 
jumper, to wliich they were partial for fuel, as, in 



28 ' THE SHALLOP. 

burning, it exhaled a pleasant fragrance. They re- 
turned the same night. The cold season was rap- 
idly advancing. Some of the company had been 
cooped up in the narrow limits of the Mayflower 
over a hundred days. A place for their disembark- 
ation and settlement was yet to be selected. They 
naturally felt solicitous to get their shallop out, and 
make explorations along the shore in search of good 
winter quarters. As they had been obliged to cut it 
down in order to stow it between decks, and as the 
people had used it for a sleeping berth on the 
voyage, it was fomid to be in great need of repairs. 
Sixteen or seventeen tedious days was the carpenter 
employed in making it sea-worthy. As no Indians 
were at hand to molest them, the men went on 
shore for amusement, and the women to wash. 
Some of the men desired to make excursions into 
the country, for purposes of discovery. Others 
thought that it would be a dangerous experiment. 
However, a party of sixteen men was placed under 
the command of Captain Miles Standish, with whom 
were appointed, as counsellors and advisers, Wil- 
liam Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Til- 
ley. After receiving many cautions and directions 
how to proceed in case of peculiar emergencies, 
they departed. The adventures with which they 
met will be narrated in the next chapter. 



CHAPTER II. 



" By yon wave-beaten rock, 
See the illustrious flock 

Collected stand j 
To seek some sheltering grove, 
Their faithful partners move, 
Dear pledges of their love 

In either hand. — John Davis. 

Exploring Party. — See some Indians. — Their Pursuit and Be- 
havior. — Night. — Pursuit renewed. — Great Thirst. — The firs! 
Drink of New England Water. — Deer. — Indian Graves.— 
Corn found buried. — Large Kettle. — A Fort. — River discov- 
ered. — Encampment in a stormy Night. — The Party lost. — A 
Trap found in the Woods. — Reasons for minute Description.— 
Strength of Principle. — Water Excursion. — A Parly land.— 
JMummies discovered. — Wigwams and Contents. — First Birth. 
— Third Excursion. — Midnight Alarm. — Skirmish with the In- 
dians. — • Thanks for Victory. — Storm and Danger. — Clark's 
Island. — Sabbath observed. — Landing of the Pilgrims. — Di- 
vision of the Land. — Commence building. — Fire. — Two Men 
Lost. — Their Adventures. — The first Sabbath on the main 
Land. — The first Winter. — The Number of Immigrants. — 
Suffering. — Deaths. — Place called Plymouth. — Return of the 
Mayflower. 

The party of sixteen, after they had received 
their instructions, went on shore. They arranged 
themselves in single file, and after marching in this 
marner about a mile, they saw five or six individuals 
advancing towards them, accompanied by a do^. 
They were Indians, the first they had seen since 
their arrival. When the savages discovered the 



30 FIRST NEW ENGLAND WATER. 

party, they immediately fled. The men followed 
them by their trail for ten miles. Night coming on, 
their pursuit was stopped. They gathered wood, 
kindled a fire, set three for sentinels, and encamped 
till morning. As soon as it was sufliciently light for 
them to discover the tracks of the Indians, they 
renewed their pursuit. Their course was greatly 
impeded by the woods and bushes through which 
they passed, and which tore their " very armor in 
pieces." They were unsuccessful in overtaking 
them ; neither did they discover any villages or 
single tents. As they took with them no water, and 
had discovered none wliich they could drink since 
they left the sliip, they suffered much from tliirst. 
They had with them a " little bottle of aquavita;,^ 
but that was far from affording them the needed 
relief However, they persevered, in their journey, 
and about the middle of the forenoon they entered 
a deep valley, in which were many little paths run- 
ning in diff*erent directions. To their great joy, 
they here found several springs of fresh water, from 
wliich they obtained an abundant supply. " We 
were heartily glad," say they in their journal, " and 
sat us down and drunk our first New England water 
with as much delight as ever we drunk drink in all 
our lives." They here discovered some deer. The 
narrow tracks which they saw were probably made 
by deer and other animals when going to the springs 



DISCOVERIES. 



31 



to drink. Leaving this refreshing valley, they di- 
rected their course to the south. When they reached 
the shore, they kindled a fire to indicate their posi- 
tion to those on board the ship. Passing on farther, 
they came to several small sand-hills covered witli^ 
mats, with a wooden object shaped something like a 
mortar on the top, with an earthern pot placed in a 
small hole at the end. They dug into them, and 
found a bow and some decayed arrows. Supposing 
them to be Indian sepulchres, they replaced these 
objects, and restored the hills to their original 
appearance. They were unwilling to irritate the 
natives by plundering the graves of their friends. 
They passed by some pieces of land where stubble 
was standing, from which the corn had been recently 
gathered, and where a house had formerly stood. 
They found a large kettle which had probably be- 
longed to some ship, and also a great quantity of 
corn, red, yellow, and blue, some shelled and some 
in the ear. A part of the corn was contained in a 
round basket, narrow at the top, and a part was 
buried in the ground. They filled the kettle with 
corn for two men to carry between them. They 
also stowed as much in their pockets as they con- 
veniently could. The remainder they buried again. 
Their intention was, if they could obtain an inter- 
view with any of the natives, to pay them for the 
corn, and return them the kettle if they wanted it. 



fXi CAUGHT IN A TRAP. 

Not far from this place they came to a rude fort. 
They next discovered a river, in >vhich they saw two 
canoes. They were now obhged to return, as they 
had orders to be absent only two days. They re- 
traced their steps to the spring of fresh water. 
Here they erected a rough barricade to keep of the 
wind, built a fire, appointed their sentinels, and 
passed the night as comfortably as they could in a 
heavy storm of rain. In the morning they sunk the 
kettle in a pond, " trimmed " their muskets anew, 
as they could not be fired in consequence of the 
wet, and pressed towards the ship. On their return, 
they lost their way, and were at their " wits' end " 
to know what course to pursue. Whilst they were 
wandering about, they came to a trap made by 
bending down the small branch of a tree, with a 
rope-noose attached. It had probably been set by 
the Indians to take deer. As they were examining 
it, it suddenly sprang, and caught one of the party by 
the leg. It exhibited considerable ingenuity. They 
also saw great numbers of wild geese and ducks, a 
few partridges, and three bucks. At last they came 
in sight of the ship. They fired off their guns as 
a signal, when those on board immediately sent the 
long-boat, and gave them a hearty welcome home. 
With what interest did their friends gather around 
them to hear the story of their adventures ! How 
many questions they asked respecting those Indians, 



STRENGTH OF PRINCIPLE. 33 

the springs, the graves, the kettle, the canoes, the 
trap ! With what joy did they examine the corn of 
divers colors ! They must have regarded it some- 
what as the Jews did the grapes of Eschol, which 
were brought back by the spies who were sent to 
examine the land. It was the first fruits of the 
land of promise. Soon, snow began to fall. 

We have been thus particular in giving these de- 
tails, because this was the first excursion of the Puri- 
tan Pilgrims in New England, where they had come 
to seek a home for themselves, their wives, and their 
children. What strength of religious principle, 
what moral and physical courage, what self-denial, 
and what strong confidence in God must have been 
requisite to induce them to disembark and com- 
mence the settlement of this comparatively barren 
country, with nothing over them but the heavens 
enshrouded with clouds, and the earth around thein 
covered with snow, as if Nature were enrobed in 
the winding-sheet of death. The incidents of their 
early history should never be forgotten. 

Their next excursion was on the water, in their 
frail shallop. The number of this party was thirty- 
four, ten of whom were sailors who belonged to the 
ship. They had a severe time, very different from 
the pleasure excursions wliich are now made in the 
same waters every year. The wind blew strong, the 
waves ran high, the snow fell, and the spray, as it 



34 E^IBALMED BODY. 

dashed upon them, was converted to ice. Some of 
them became so chilled, and took such severe colds 
as afterwards resulted in death. A portion of them 
landed, but soon became " tired with marching up 
and down the steep hills and deep valleys which lay 
half a foot thick with snow." They encamped for 
the night under a few pine-trees. As they had 
eaten nothing since the morning, three fat geese and 
six ducks which they obtained furnished them with 
a very acceptable supper. 

When they arrived at Pamet River where the pre- 
vious party had seen the two canoes, they ferried 
themselves across. 

They next visited the place where the corn and ket- 
tle were obtained. They found a bottle of oil, a bag 
of beans, some wheat ears, and seven or eight bush- 
els more of corn. They came upon a grave much 
larger than any they had seen before. It was cov- 
ered with boards. After some hesitation they opened 
it, not knowing, from its external appearance, what 
it was. It contained mats, broaches, bowls, dishes, 
trinkets, and two large bundles. These bundles 
were very peculiar. The larger one contained 
the bones and skull of a human being, enveloped in 
a great quantity of fine red powder, with a knife, 
a large needle, and several implements of iron, 
whose use they could not determine. In the smaller 
one was the skeleton of a child. It was accom- 



FIRST BIRTH; 35 

panied with strings, bracelets of fine white beads, a 
small bow, and " some other odd knackes." The 
red powder yielded a strong, though not unpleasant 
odor, and seemed to have been used for the purpose 
of embalming. They selected some of the most 
interesting articles to take away, with them, and, 
covering up the rest, they left the grave, in appear- 
ance, as they found it. 

They came across a couple of Indian tents, desti- 
tute of inhabitants, but containing a variety of bas- 
kets, bowls, pots, trays, dishes, with eagles' claws, 
deer's heads and hoofs, harts' horns, and other 
articles in use among the Indians. After rambhng 
about in various directions, without any important 
results, they returned to the vessel. 

Wliilst this party were absent on their explora- 
tions, a child was born on board of the Mayflower, 
who was named Peregrine White. Tliis was the 
first English child born in New England. There 
are people now living, who, in their early years, 
were acquainted with persons who had seen and 
conversed with Peregrine. He was then removed 
from such survivors by only one generation. This 
fact makes his history sec7n quite recent. He died 
in Marshfield, at the age of eighty-three years and 
eight months. 

To return to the immigrants. As no place had as 
yet been discovered where they were willing to 



3b FIRST C 01MB AT. 

commence tlieir settlement, on the sixth of Decem- 
ber a third party went forth to make further discov- 
eries. As they were saihng along the shore in the 
shallop, they saw on land about a dozen Indians, 
very busy in carrying something away. They after- 
wards discovered that it was a dead grampus, from 
which fact they named the place Grampus Bay, 
now known as Eastham. The party landed and 
went in pursuit of the Indians. They passed by 
some abandoned tents or huts, a large burying 
ground, and some corn-fields. Being unsuccessful 
in overtaking the natives, they returned to the shore 
and encamped. About midnight, they were dis- 
turbed by a " great and hideous cry." " Arm ! 
arm ! " shouted the sentinel. The men sprang to 
their feet, seized their guns, and two of them fired ; 
but as nothing more was heard, they concluded that 
it must have been wolves or foxes. The next morn- 
ing, after prayers were over, whilst they were pre- 
paring for another journey, they were suddenly 
attacked by a party of Indians, who came upon 
them with a great noise. A combat ensued. Un- 
fortunately, the men were divided. Some were on 
the shore, and some on board the shallop. How- 
ever, the guns of the Puritans were. more than a 
match for the arrows of the Indians. The savages 
fled, and were followed a considerable distance. 
The men paused, shouted after them twice, and 



A DREARY SABBATH. 37 

fired off a couple of guns to indicate to the enemy 
that they were not alarmed. It was supposed that 
they numbered thirty or forty. Their arrows, headed 
mth eagles' claws, horn, and pieces of brass, were 
picked up, and afterwards sent to England. The 
place where this conflict occurred, they named 
" The First Encounter." After offering thanks to 
their Iieavenly Father for their victory, they returned 
to their shallop, and continued their excursion. A 
heavy storm of wind, rain, and snow beat upon 
them. Their rudder broke and became unman 
ageable. Presently their mast was split into 
tlii'ee pieces. In tliis condition, they came very 
near being totally wrecked. Finally, after great 
anxiety and toil, they reached an island near the 
entrance of Plymouth harbor, where they spent the 
night in safety, though very uncomfortably, under 
the peltings of a pitiless winter storm. This was 
subsequently called Clark's Island, in honor of the 
mate of the Mayflower, who is said to have been 
tlie first who stepped upon it. 

The next day being the Sabbath, they rested. 
We should suppose that if there is any virtue in the 
plea of "necessity and mercy" for attending to 
secular affairs on the Sabbath, it ought to have 
availed Avith them. They were houseless, friend- 
less, and on an unknown shorcy in the depth of 
whiter, with its severities daily increasing upon them; 
4 



30 LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS. 

Their provisions were diminisliing, some of their 
number were sick, and every hour increased the 
importance of their coming to a decision where to 
land. Yet with this combination of pressing emer- 
gencies, they refused to spend the Sabbath in seek- 
ing a harbor. Their trust was in God. They felt 
.secure of his protection sd long as they were faithful 
to his commandments. 

The next day being Monday, December 11, old 
style, but the 22d, new style, they examined the 
harbor, and found it convenient for sliipping. They 
then went on the main land, where Plymouth now 
stands, and, finding some of it cleared and some of 
it wooded, with plenty of springs and running 
brooks, they deemed it a suitable place to com- 
mence their settlement, and this was " The Landing 
of the Pilgrim Fathers," an event which is now 
annually commemorated by the descendants of the 
Puritans in various parts of our land, and which, in 
its influence upon posterity, has been followed by 
the most glorious results ever achieved by man. 

In making arrangements for the division of the 
land, the whole company were divided into families, 
each single man joining some family. This ren- 
dered a smaller number of houses necessary. To 
each person they assigned a lot, half a pole in 
length and three in breadth, or 8^ feet by 49^. In 
the erection of their houses, they incurred many 



TWO MEN LOST. 39 

difficulties. Trees had to be felled, timber hewn, 
holes dug in the frozen soil, and much of this tliey 
were obliged to do in the midst of very wet, cold, 
and stormy weather. To increase their difficulties, 
the Mayflower was anchored a mile and a half from 
the shore. As there was frequent occasion for pass- 
ing to and fro, tliis distance subjected them to great 
inconvenience. Besides, as every man was intent 
upon finishing liis own house, they could render but 
little assistance to each other. One building, twenty 
feet square, was erected as a place of common ren- 
dezvous ; but this was soon accidentally burnt down, 
and though the house contained powder and loaded 
guns, and Governor Carver and William Bradford 
were there confined to their bed, yet no person was 
injured. 

Two of their number being sent out to cut 
thatch one morning, got lost. Not returning, sev- 
eral others went in search of them, but without 
success. Sorrow filled the hearts of the company. 
They feared that their friends had been cap- 
tured by the Indians : but the next day they 
returned, to the great joy of all. They lost 
themselves by chasing a deer. The night was wet 
and stormy, yet they had to spend it in the open 
air with vrild beasts, which they supposed were 
Uons, roaring around them. One of them, John 
Goodman, was frost-bitten so badly that his shoes 



40 FIRST SABBATH ON SHORE. 

had to be cut from his feet, and for a long time he 
was unable to walk. The 21st of January was the 
Sabbath. As the largest portion of the people were 
on land, they kept the Sabbath there. This ap- 
pears to have been the first Lord's day which was 
observed upon the shore. 

Indians were seen upon the water, but could not 
be spoken with. A house which had been built for 
the sick took fire from a spark, but was not much 
injured. Indians skulked around them, and stole 
the tools which the men left in the woods. All 
attempts to have an interview with them proved 
unavailing. Occasionally a few wild fowl were shot, 
which furnished them with a dainty repast. As a 
protection against the natives, who, judging from 
tlieir conduct, were viciously inclined, they planted 
two cannon upon a hill which was near. Thus 
they wore away their first dreary winter upon the 
wild and bleak coast of New England, without any 
incident transpiring of special importance. 

It is evident from the journals of that season that 
the winter was unusually mild If it had been as 
severe as many which have siiice been experienced, 
we see not how they could have survived till spring. 

The number who left Plymouth in the May- 
flower was just one hundred. One died on the 
passage, and one was born ; so that the number 
who landed was one hundred. Scarcity of food, 



GREAT MORTALITY. 41 

mth exposure to cold and wet, introduced disease, 
and, by the opening of spring, one half their 
number were swept away by death ! To increase 
their affliction, among the deceased was John Car- 
ver, their governor. Some of the time two and 
three would die in a day. The well were not 
sufficient to provide for the sick, and the living 
hardly able to bury the dead. 

The name of Plymouth was given to the new 
colony, as a token of respect to the inhabitants of 
Plymouth, in England, where the Puritans were 
treated with kindness when they put back in dis- 
tress. After the death of Carver, WiUiam Bradford 
was chosen governor. The same day that Carver 
died, which was the 5th of April, 1621, the May- 
flower sailed for England. She came to anchor in 
Cape Cod Harbor, November 10. She had re- 
mained, therefore, with the Pilgrims nearly five 
months, furnisliing them -with a shelter until they 
could get their own rough huts erected. This was 
a great convenience, especially to the females, the 
children, and the sick. 
4* 



CHAPTER III. 



' Our fathers' God ! tliy own decree 
Ordained the Pilgrims to be free ; 
In foreign lands they owned thy care, 
And found a safe asylum there." — Rev. Dr. Holmes. 



A strange Visitor. — Unexpected Salutation. — Information given. 
— A Difficulty. — A Kidnapper. — Indians enslaved. — More 
Visitors. — Squanto's Adventures. — Indian Chiefs. — Visit of 
Ceremony. — First Treaty. — The Visit returned. — Massasoit's 
Poverty. — Novel Mode of Eeling. — First Ofience. — The Pen- 
alty. — Billington's Character. — First Duel. — Peculiar Pun- 
ishment. — Praying for Mercy. — Character of the Government. 

On the morning of Friday, the 16th of March, 
the immigrants were alarmed by seeing an Indian 
enter their httle village, and, with great boldness, 
march directly towards their place of rendezvous. 
Here they intercepted him, as otherwise he would 
have entered ; when, to their surprise and joy, he 
accosted them in broken English, and bade them 
" Welcome." He was entirely naked, with the ex- 
ception of a strip of leather around his waist having 
a fringe three or four inches long. He was tall and 
straight, and had long straight black hair, but no 
beard. His weapons were a bow and two arrows, 
only one of which was headed. The Pilgrims treated 
liim with great hospitality. This was demanded both 
by duty and sound policy. From conversation with 



HOSPITALITY. 43 

him, they ascertained that he was a chief of a tribe 
of Indians whose land was distant five days' jour- 
ney. He had learned a little English from the 
fishermen who frequented the coast of Maine. He 
asked them for beer, but they gave him " strong 
water," biscuit, butter, cheese, pudding, and a piece 
of mallard. These he relished. He had acquired a 
taste for them by his previous intercourse with the 
English. He informed them that the place where 
they were was called Patuxet, and that about four 
years previously, by some dreadful pestilence, all 
the Indians who resided there were swept away. 
None now remained to claim the soil. They also 
obtained information from him respecting different 
parts of the country, what tribes inhabited them, 
their numbers, and the chiefs or sagamores who 
ruled them. Notwithstanding he was so communi- 
cative, when night came they were desirous that he 
should leave. This he was unwilling to do. It 
became then a grave question how they should 
dispose of him until morning. Although they were 
willing to listen to his conversation whilst they were 
awake, and had their weapons at hand, they had no 
inclination to sleep in his company. It was pro- 
posed that he should lodge on board the Mayflower. 
To this he assented ; but when they attempted to 
go to her in the shallop, the wind was so powerful, 
and the water so low, that they found it impossible 



44 DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT. 

to succeed. They were obliged, therefore, to lodge 
him in one of their houses ; but as a precautionary 
arrangement, they kept over liim a strict watch. 
The next day he returned to Massasoit, the chief of 
a tribe of Indians whom he represented as being 
the nearest of any to the Plymouth settlement. 
Another tribe, called the Nausets, were, according 
to his account, greatly incensed against the English. 
They had sufficient cause. Some years before their 
arrival, a shipmaster by the name of Hunt, whose 
name is held in merited disgrace, invited some of 
them on board his vessel, professedly for purposes 
of traffic. After some twenty or thirty had ac- 
cepted his invitation, he hoisted sail and bore away 
to the coasts of Spain, where he sold these free sons 
of the forest into humiliating, disgraceful, and pain- 
ful slavery. Such an atrocious crime as this they 
could neither forget nor forgive. They burned for 
revenge. It was this tribe who attacked the ex- 
ploring party and were defeated, the account of 
which we have already given. 

The savage whose unexpected visit to the Pil- 
grims we have now narrated, was named Samoset. 
When he left Plymouth, he carried with him pres- 
ents of a knife, bracelet, and a ring, which were 
given him by the English. He promised to return 
within a day or two, and bring with him some of 
Massasoit's Indians, to open a trade in furs with the 



PRESENTS TO SAJVIOSET. 45 

colony. He fulfilled his promise the next day. 
Five others came with him, dressed in their pecuhar 
costume of deer skins, leathern leggins, and tawdry 
ornaments. They were hospitably received by the 
colonists ; but as it was the Sabbath, no business 
was transacted with them. They were dismisse(J as 
early as possible. Samoset, who probably fared 
better among the English than when with the In- 
dians, was sick, or pretended to be, and would not 
return with the others. He remained till the next 
Wednesday. As the others did not repeat their 
visit, according t9 promise, Samoset was sent to 
ascertain the reason. When he left, the people 
gave him a hat, stockings, shoes, shirt, and a piece 
of cloth to wear round his body. The same* day, 
three Indians were discovered upon a hill near by, 
who appeared to threaten or bid defiance to the 
English. Immediately, Captain Standish and three 
others went towards them. After making a few 
menacing gestures, the savages fled. The next day, 
Samoset returned, bringing with him four others, 
who had a few sldns and dried herrings, which they 
wished to exchange for other articles. It is some- 
what remarkable that one of these Indians belonged 
to the company whom Hunt kidnapped and carried 
to Spain. There, with the others, being liberated 
from servitude through the agency of the monks of 
Malaga, he made liis way to England, and finally 



46 VISIT OF CEREMONY. 

got back to his own country ! His name was 
Squanto. He was the only native left of those who 
had formerly occupied Patuxet, the place where the 
Pilgrims had fixed their- settlement. Having been 
in England, he had obtained a smattering of the 
language, and could converse, though with difficulty, 
with the colonists. Tliis party of four seem to 
have been a kind of advanced guard ; for in the 
course of an hour, their great chief, Massasoit, 
made his appearance upon the top of a hill, accom- 
panied by his brother Quadequina, and all their 
warriors. They came to visit the English. The 
two parties were at first somewhat shy of each 
other. But after sending messages to and fro by 
the interpreters, they cautiously came to a parley. 
Each party kept one or more of the others as host- 
ages. After mutual salutations between Massasoit 
and Captain Standish, the chief was conducted to 
an unfinished house, where were placed for him a 
green rug and three or four cushions. Presently 
the Puritan governor advanced, in as great state as 
he could command, with a drum and trumpet sound- 
ing after him, and a few men with muskets, as a 
kind of body-guard. Salutations being over, M'hicli 
consisted of mutual kisses, they both took seats. 
" The governor called for some strong water, and 
drunk to him : and he drunk a great draught, that 
made him sweat all the while after." Meat was also 



FIRST TREATY. 47 

offered to the chief and to liis men, which was 
cheerfully received. 

They then came to business. A treaty of friend- 
ship was entered into, in which they agreed to 
avoid mutual injuries, to deliver up articles belona^- 
ing to their owners jvhich might be carried off by 
the men of either party, and to leave behind them 
all weapons when they visited each other. It was 
further agreed, that if any nation made war upon 
the colonists, Massasoit should assist the English, 
and if any attacked Massasoit unjustly, the English 
would aid him ; that if any of liis people should 
hurt one of the colonists, he should send him to the 
colony for punishment, and that he should send to 
those tribes with whom he was in alliance informa- 
tion of this treaty, that they might be embraced in 
it also. 

This was the first act of diplomacy executed in 
New England. Its negotiation occupied less than a 
day, and being of mutual benefit to both parties, it 
was strictly observed for more than fifty y call's. It 
was of importance to Massasoit to secure an alliance 
with the English, so as to have assistance in case he 
should be attacked by the powerful tribe of Narra- 
gansetts, who were his enemies. It was also of 
great moment to the English to be on friendly terms 
with neighboring Indians, who had it in their power 
to annoy them in various ways. 



48 EEL CATCHING. 

After Massasoit had left, his brother Quadequina 
came to the colonists, and was likewise received 
with marked distinction. He was afraid of the 
English guns, and at his desire they were carried 
away. He wondered greatly at the trumpet, and 
some of his men tried their skill at sounding it. 

At the invitation of Massasoit, Captain Standish 
and Isaac Alderton visited him at his encampment. 
They were received with no sumptuous entertain- 
ment. All that he gave them were three or four 
ground nuts, and a little tobacco. By the request 
of the governor, he sent to the colonists liis kettle, 
which they filled with peas, and gave him. 

One fair day, Squanto went a fishing without 
pole, line, or hook. In the evening he returned 
with as many large, fat, " sweet " eels as he could 
lift with one hand. His method of catching them 
was to wade in the water, ascertain their beds with 
his feet, and, as they were in a torpid state in con- 
sequence of the cold, pick them up with his hand. 
He i^ supposed to have gone to a place which is 
now called Eel River, where large numbers are still 
caught every mnter. 

Such was the integrity of the Puritans, and their 
uniform obedience to the few laws which they had 
established, that no offence was committed among 
them till the latter part of March, when one John 
Billington was convicted of " contempt of the cap- 



FmST OFFENCE. 49 

tain's lawful command and opprobrious speeches." 
The sentence which he received was peculiar. It 
was, that " he have his neck and heels tied together." 
The sentence, however, was not carried into execu- 
tion. He humbled himself before the people, and 
asked for pardon. As this was his first offence, he 
was forgiven. Mercy, however, did not reform 
him. He continued to be a bad fellow. He vwas a 
profane, ungovernable, vicious knave, and finally 
came to a bad end. His eldest son, John, was of the 
same spirit with the father, and gave the colonists 
much trouble. On one occasion, he came near 
blowing up the Mayflower, by exploding squibs, and 
firing off a fowling-piece, when powder was strewed 
upon the floor, and a small cask of it was only 
about a yard from him. At another time, he wan- 
dered away from the colony, creating great anxiety, 
and subjecting them to the trouble of sending an 
expedition to find him. Billington senior was not a 
member of the church at Leyden. He came from 
London, and was in some way smuggled on board 
the Mayflower, without having any sympathy with 
the religious feeling of the Puritans. 

The second offence committed was a duel be- 
tween two servants of IVIr. Hopkins. It was fought 
with sword and dagger. Both combatants were 
wounded. They were convicted, and sentenced "to 
have their head and feet tied together, and so to lie 
5 



50 FIRST TUTElj. 

for twenty-four hours without meat or drink." The 
cords were brought, their head and feet were 
tied according to sentence ; but after lying about an 
hour, their sufFeruigs were so severe that they began 
to beg for mercy. Their entreaties being seconded 
hy their master, the governor, upon the promise of 
good conduct in future, released them. The prompt- 
ness with which tliese three criminals were tried, 
convicted, and sentenced, and the forgiveness which 
they received, evinced the decision and the kind- 
ness of this early colonial government. 



CHAPTER IV. 

" Acquaintance I would have, but when 't depends 
Not on the number, but the choice, of friends." — Cowlet. 

" True happiness 
Consists not in the muliitude of friends, 
But in the worth and choice : nor would I have 
Virtue a popular regard pursue: 
Let them be good that love me, though but few," — Jonson. 

riymoulh in Summer. — Annoyance of Indian Loungers. — Visit 
to Massasoit. — Delivery of Presents. — The Message. — The 
Copper Chain. — Hard Lodging. — Subordinate » Sachems. — 
Sports. — Shooting Fish. — Return of the Messengers. — Storm 
at Night. — Effect of the Visit. — Boy missing. — A Party sent 
after him. — Their Adventures. — Get News of the Boy. — ly- 
anough. — An old Squaw. — Her violent Passion. — Reason of 
it. — How she is pacified. — Indian Officiousness. — The Owner 
of the buried Corn found. — The lost Boy restored. — Natives 
rewarded. - — Rumors of War. — Danger of the Colony. ■ — Par- 
ty suffer for Water. — Dance of the Squaws. — The Return. 

When the winter had passed away, and Nature 
had arrayed herself in her summer drapery, the col- 
onists found that they had selected a pleasant spot 
for their settlement. The disappearance of ice and 
snow, the rich green of the liills and fields, varie- 
gated with numerous flowers, the forests covered 
with dense foliage, and the melody of birds in the 
groves, made Plymouth appear like a different 
country from that which they saw upon their first 



52 ANNOYANCE FROM VISITORS. 

arrival. As the warm weather brought the Indians 
to the sea-shore for lobsters and fish, they were a 
great annoyance to the colony. The Pilgrims uni- 
formly treated them with hospitality. This kind- 
ness furnished a motive for frequent visits, as the 
Indians would always go where they could get 
something to eat. The consequence was, that 
sometimes men, women, and children, in consid- 
erable numbers, were hanging around the village. 
Instead of turning them away, it was deemed best 
to send messengers to their great sagamore, Mas- 
sasoit, state to him the grievance, and request him 
to issue orders proliibiting the annoyance. Another 
object which the colenists had in view in this em- 
bassage was, to compensate the Indians for the corn 
which they found upon Cape Cod on their first 
arrival. Stephen Hopkins and Edward Winslow 
received the appointment of ambassadors. Squanto, 
the Indian who had been kidnapped by Hunt, was 
to accompany them as interpreter. To secure a 
favorable reception for themselves and their mes- 
sage, they carried, as a present to the sagamore, a 
horseman's coat of red cotton, ornamented with 
lace, and a copper chain. When they arrived at 
Pokanoket, the residence of Massasoit, the saga- 
more was not at home. He was sent for, and soon 
made his appearance. The ambassadors saluted 
him by a discharge of their pieces, and were then 



ElVIBASSY TO MASSASOIT. 53 

welcomed in true Indian style by the cliief. The 
first thing- done after they had taken their seats was 
tlie delivery of the presents. When the chief was 
arrayed in the red coat, with the copper chain 
daiioling from his neck, he and his men were highly 
gratified with his grand appearance. In the mes- 
sage which the ambassadors delivered, they informed 
the chief that his people had always been kindly 
received by the colonists, though they came very 
often and very many at a time ; but as it was 
uncertain whether the corn which the English had 
planted would be productive, and as they had not 
much other food, they would be unable to extend to 
them the same hospitality in future which they had 
done, and which they would still be glad to do if it 
were in their power. They requested the chief, 
therefore, to interfere, and suffer none of his people 
to visit the colonists except those who had skins to 
trade. If, however, he desired to come himself, or 
had some particular friend who wished to see them, 
they would be pleased to receive him in th^ same 
manner as heretofore. That they might not be 
imposed by deceivers, the ambassadors requested the 
sagamore, whenever he should send any messenger 
to the colony, to give him the copper chain which 
had just been presented to him, and they would 
regard that as the credentials of liis appointment, 
and would give credit to his message. They also 
5* 



54 AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT. 

related to Massasoit their discovery of the corn on 
the cape, and that they carried it away for tlieir 
o^vii use, with the intention, if the owners were ever 
found, of giving them ample compensation. They 
requested of him some seed corn to plant, so as to 
see which was best adapted to the soil of Plymouth. 
After the message was delivered through the 
interpreter, Squanto, Massasoit replied, and con- 
sented to comply with their several requests. Busi- 
ness being over, the Indians lighted tobacco, gave it 
to the ambassadors to smoke, and entered into con- 
versation respecting England and the king. So 
poor was the brave sagamore, that when the even- 
ing arrived, he had nothing to offer his distin- 
guished guests for supper. In one part of the 
wigwam was a hard and rude looking bed made of 
plank, raised a few inches from the ground, and 
covered with a coarse, thin mat. When the visitors 
expressed a wish to sleep, one end of this plank 
platform was assigned them as their bed, whilst the 
chief, with his wife, slept at the other end. In 
addition to these four, two other Indians had to be 
accommodated, who, during the night, pressed so 
heavily upon the Englishmen, that their night's 
lodging Was more wearisome, than their days' jour- 
ney. The visit of these strangers soon being ru- 
mored abroad, there came the next day many 
sachems, or subordinate cliiefs, to see them. For 



RETURN OF THE AMBASSADORS. 55 

their entertainment, the savages performed a num- 
ber of their games, but were unwilhng to shoot at 
a mark with the strangers for skins. About one 
o'clock, Massasoit, who had been fishing, returned, 
bringing with him two large fish, which he had shot. 
These were boiled, and portions of them were 
offered to the messengers. Tliis was the first meal 
they had had for a day and two nights. The next 
day, very early in the morning, they left their poor, 
but friendly neighbors for home. They were heart- 
ily sick of Indian entertainment. The chief was 
sorry and ashamed that he could receive them in no 
better style. Friendship was in his heart, but 
abundance was not in his cabin. He did the best 
he could. On their return, the ambassadors were 
not only faint and hungry, but, to add to their trials, 
they were overtaken at night by a severe storm, 
accompanied with thunder and lightning. So vio- 
lent were the wind and rain, that they found it 
impossible to keep their fire burning. The storm 
continued through the whole day ; but they waded 
on with what little strength was left, until, after an 
absence of five days, they again reached Plymouth. 
The tendency of this visit was to strengthen the 
bonds of friendship existing between the Indians 
and the colonists. 

It was probably a few days after this, that one 
of the boys belonging to the colony was missing. 



66 A BOY LOST. 

Where he had gone, no one knew. His absence 
created great anxiety in the httle community. Was 
he drowned ? Had he been kidnapped by the 
Indians and carried into captivity ? or had he wan- 
dered away and got lost ? Various conjectures 
were indulged. A party of ten men were raised to 
go in search of him. They went in the shallop. 
They had not sailed far, before a heavy squall of 
wind, with lightning and rain, came down upon them 
with great force. A water spout was formed a 
short distance from them. They were in danger. 
Fortunately, it was of short duration. They passed 
the night in Cummaquid, now known as Barnstable 
Harbor. In the morning, seeing a couple of sav- 
ages, they hailed them, and through their two 
interpreters, Squanto and another named Tokama- 
hamon, made known who they were, and whom 
they were after. Very providentially, these Indians 
afforded great relief to the party, by the information 
that the lost boy was well, and might be found at 
Nauset, now called Eastham. At the invitation of 
the natives, six of the party went ashore, leaving, 
as hostages for their good treatment, four Indians in 
the shallop. They were introduced to their chief, 
lyanough, a young man, not thirty years of age, of 
good personal appearance, courteous in his manners, 
and unlike an Indian, except in his costume. His 
entertainment was in harmony with his good ap- 
pearance, being abundant and various. 



INDIAN EMOTION. 67 

At tliis place was a squaw, whom the colonists 
judged to be at least a hundred years old. As she 
had never seen an Englishman, she visited the party 
as a matter of curiosity ; but when she saw them, 
she became greatly excited, giving indulgence to 
violent passion, and weeping excessively. The men 
were astonished. They knew not what it meant. 
They knew that they had done nothing to furnish 
occasion for such a development of strong feeling, 
and were at a loss to account for it. They 
asked the woman why she cried. She answered, 
that when Captain Hunt was here, she had three 
sons, who went on board of his vessel to trade, and 
that he carried them away captives to Spain, so that 
now she w^as cruelly deprived of their assistance 
and support in her old age. The Pilgrims sympa- 
tliized with her in her distress, expressed great 
abhorrence of the conduct of Hunt, and told her 
that he was a bad man, and that all the English 
who had heard of liis conduct in that affair strongly 
condemned it. As for themselves, they would not 
be guilty of similar conduct for all the skins in the 
land. To convince her of their sincerity, they gave 
her some presents, wliich served to allay her excited 
feelings. It will be remembered, that Squanto, one 
of the interpreters on this occasion, was also one of 
the number whom Hunt so nefariously kidnapped. 

Having obtained track of the lost boy, they 



58 LOST BOY FOUND. 

hastened towards Eastham. Squanto was sent in 
advance to inform the chief of their approach and 
their errand. When they arrived at Eastham, they 
were greatly annoyed by the officiousness of the 
Indians, who surrounded the boat in great numbers, 
offering their help to get it in, as the water was low. 
The party were doubtful of their good intentions, as 
this was the place, and these the men, who made an 
attack upon them when they were examining the 
coast to find a desirable place for settlement. The 
boat soon got aground, and then the savages sur- 
rounded it in greater numbers than before. Among 
the Indians who were present on this occasion, was 
one to whom some of the corn belonged which the 
Pilgrims had found and carried away. They in- 
formed him that it had always been their intention 
to make restitution for it so soon as they found the 
owner, and that if he would visit the settlement at 
Plymouth, they would pay him for all they had 
taken. 

Towards evening, their chief, Aspinet, came, 
accompanied by a large number of Indians, and 
what was more pleasing to the English, he brought 
with him the lost boy. Half of the Indians came 
up to the boat unarmed ; the other half kept at a 
distance, with their bows and arrows ready, in case 
any occasion should occur for their use. One of 
the savages brought the boy through the water to 



THS LOST boy's ADVENTURES. 59 

the boat, and there he was deUvered by the chief 
into the hands of the Puritans. It seems that for 
five days the boy had wandered over the hills and 
through the woods, living upon what few berries 
and fruits he could find. By that time, he reached 
an Indian settlement at Manomet, the present loca- 
tion of Sandwich. By the people there he was sent 
to the Nausets, where he was now found. AVhen 
he was delivered to the colonists by Aspinet, the 
boy was decked in Indian tawdry style, having 
many beads hanging about him. Whether this was 
done in order to amuse the boy, or to please the 
English, we know not ; probably the latter. The 
party rewarded the chief with a knife, which, no 
doubt, lie highly prized, as their own knives were 
either stone or shell. They also gave a present to 
the Indian of Manomet, who first received the boy, 
and who had gone to the trouble of bringing him to 
Nauset. This boy was .John Billington ; a vicious 
lad, and a great plague to the colony. 

Whilst the men were at Eastham, a rumor 
reached them that war had broken out between 
Massasoit and the Narragansetts, in consequence of 
an attack of the latter upon some of the men be- 
longing to the former. They were alarmed. Being 
in league with Massasoit, they were bound to render 
liim assistance, in case he had been attacked un- 
justly. Besides, they were apprehensive for the 



60 



RUMORS OF WAR. 



welfare of the colony, as the number of men there 
had been greatly reduced. Dr. Young, in his 
*' Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers," says, that at 
the same time that these ten were on their excursion 
to Aspinet, " Winslow and Hopkins were absent on 
their expedition to Pokanoket, leaving only seven 
men at the plantation, the whole number suiviving 
at this time being nineteen." If this were so, the 
settlement would have been in great danger in case 
it had been attacked by the enemies of Massasoit. 




Massasoit and the Chain. 



CHAPTER V. 

" The flying rumors gathered as they rolled ; 
Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told; 
And all wiio to'd it added something new, 
And all who heard it made enlargement too ; 
In every ear it spread, on every tongue it grew." — Pope 

Start.lng' Rumors. — Squanto reconnoitres. — Is taken. — Designs 
against him. — Supposed Murder. — A Party sent to Middle- 
borough. — Midnight Attack. — Frightened Indians. — Squanto 
found. — Treatment of the Wounded. — Voyage to Massachu- 
setts. — Origin of the Name. — Conduct of the Squaws. — The 
First Summer in Plymouth. — Preparations for Winter. — Colo- 
ny alarmed. — Prepare to resist Invaders. — Pleasant Disap- 
pointment. — Arrival of the Fortune. — She brings no Stores. 
•—The Consequence. — The Fortune returns. — Her Cargo and 
Capture. 

The common proverb, that a stoiy loses nothing 
by repetition, received confirmation in the present 
instance. By the time that the floating rumors 
reached the colony, whatever was their origin, they 
embraced the startling intelligence that the Narra- 
gansetts had invaded the domains of Massasoit ; that 
Massasoit was either a prisoner, or had fled ; that 
their interpreter, Squanto, had been cruelly mur- 
dered, and that some of Massasoit's men had re- 
volted from their cliief, and were striving to form a 
party in opposition to the English, and in violation 
of the league of friendship. Squanto had gone on 
a reconnoitring expedition, to obtain tidings, if pos- 
6 



63 SQUANTO A PRISONER. 

sible, of Massasoit. Whilst lodging at Namasket, 
now called Middleborough, he was discovered by 
Corbitant, one of Massasoit's disaffected men. This 
fellow had expressed violent opposition to the alli- 
ance with the English, had given free use to con- 
temptuous language against them, and had labored 
to poison the minds of others with similar senti- 
ments. He was particularly bitter against Squanto, 
as he had rendered important service to the English 
in all their negotiations. "If Squanto were dead," 
said he, " the English would lose their tongue." 
He, therefore, with some of his evil disposed follow- 
ers, came upon Squanto, surrounded the house 
in wliich he lodged, and took him prisoner. Squan- 
to was accompanied on this excursion by another 
Indian, named Hobbamock. When Hobbamock 
saw that Ids friend was taken, and that Corbitant 
held a knife at liis breast, as if to take his hfe, he 
made a violent effort, broke away from the enemy, 
and fled to Plymouth, with the news that Squanto 
was slain. Immediately the colony was in great 
commotion. Although they desired to live in peace 
with the Indians, they knew that it was not wise 
policy to allow offences of this kind to pass with 
impunity. Justice to themselves, to Squanto, and 
to Massasoit, demanded an immediate examination 
of the state of things, and a defence of their rights. 
Deliberations were held, and the conclusion reached, 



PLAN OF OPERATIONS. 63 

was, that, on the next day, a party of ten or twelvte 
men should proceed to Middleboroiigh, revenge the 
death of Squanto, take the sachem of the tribe 
prisoner, and retain him until they obtained tidings 
of their friend Massasoit. Accordingly, on the next 
day they departed, under the command of their 
champion. Captain Standish. The weather was 
rainy. They lost their way, through the mistake of 
Hobbamock, their guide, and the darkness of the 
night ; but with the assistance of one of the others, 
who, fortunately, had been that way before, they 
found it again. Their plan was to come upon the 
house at midnight, surround it, and seize Corbitant 
before he could have time to escape. In the attack, 
they were to injure none except those who should 
attempt to flee. The plan being arranged, they 
made a supper in the dark of the contents of their 
knapsacks, and then threw them aside, to be free 
from their encumbrance. Each man having received 
his specific appointment, they passed cautiously 
and silently on, casting furtive glances in the deep 
gloom in every direction to avoid discovery. Pres- 
ently they reach the house. Every man takes the 
place assigned him, and waits with a throbbing 
heart for the moment of attack. Those appointed 
to the service enter the house, and demand if Cor- 
bitant is there. The savages, aroused from their 
slumbprs in the dead of night by a hostile party 



64 MIDNIGHT ATTACK. 

effecting an entrance into their cabin, are so 
thorougly alarmed as to be deprived of the power 
of speech. They are commanded not to stir at 
their periL The whole family are aroused. Great 
excitement prevails. The guns of the invaders are 
fired at random. The whole town is in commotion. 
Some attempt to escape from the house through a 
private door, and are wounded. The women cling 
to Hobbamock, calling him " Friend, friend ! " The 
boys, noticing that no injury is attempted against 
the women, cry out, " I am a girl, I am a girl." 
The invaders, in the mean time, endeavor to explain 
the object of their attack. They tell the people 
that they have come to revenge the death of their 
friend, Squanto, and want no one but Corbitant, his 
murderer. If he is not* there, none shall be injured. 
After the fears of the Indians were allayed, and 
they had recovered their senses sufficiently to under- 
stand the explanation of this unexpected, nocturnal 
visit, they informed the invaders that Corbitant was 
not in the village, but that Squanto, whom they sup- 
posed he had murdered, was. Although the visitors 
were sorry to lose the former, they were greatly 
delighted to find the latter. In order to obtain full 
confirmation of this intelligence, they made the 
savages get up, strike a fire, and furnish a light, 
with which to search the house thoroughly. At the 
same time, Hobbamock ascended to thf top of the 



ORIGIN OF "MASSACHUSETTS." 65 

house, and there called aloud for Squanto and Tok- 
amahamon. In a few moments, they made their 
appearance, accompanied with others, some of whom 
were armed. 

In the morning, the party visited Squanto at his 
own house, and breakfasted with him. They in- 
formed the Indians more fully of their determination 
to pursue Corbitant, and to contend with all others 
who should plot evil against the colony, or against 
Massasoit. They expressed regret that any of them 
had been wounded in the night^s attack, but prom- 
ised that if such would return with them to Plym- 
outh, the physician would heal them. Two of 
the wounded, a man and woman, accepted their 
invitation. 

About the middle of September, the colonists 
made their first voyage to Massachusetts, a word 
which signifies an arrow-shaped hill. This name is 
supposed to have been given to the surrounding 
country from the Blue Hills in Milton, which were 
formerly called Massachusetts Mount. They had 
interviews with the chief of a tribe in alliance with 
Massasoit, by whom they were treated with great 
kindness, and with some Indians of a hostile tribe, 
who, at first, ' were greatly alarmed ; but as they 
discovered no evil intentions on the part of the vis- 
itors, they gathered courage to trade with them. 
Some of their squaws were so anxious to obtain tho 
6* 



66 THE COLONY ALARMED. 

trinkets of the English, that they took off the gar- 
ments which they wore, and sold them ; and, as a 
substitute, tied leaves and branches about their per- 
sons. The party returned on the 22d, having been 
absent since the 18th. 

During this first summer of their settlement, the 
Pilgrims were comfortably provided for. The 
weather was mild ; their corn was productive ; fish 
were obtained in considerable quantities ; and later 
in the season, wild turkeys and venison were pro- 
cured. As the cold weather advanced, they repaired 
their houses, so as to be the better able to endure 
the severity of the approaching winter. When it 
commenced, they were in health, and had " all 
tilings in plenty." 

November 9, 1621, the (*olony was thrown into a 
state of great alarm, by intelligence received from 
an Indian that a vessel was seen approaching Cape 
Cod, which he believed to be French. As the Eng- 
lish were not expecting the arrival of friends at that 
time, they also feared that the rumored vessel might 
be an enemy. When she came in sight, and made 
directly towards Plymouth harbor, their fears were 
strengthened. Agitation prevailed. No time was 
to be lost in getting prepared to give the intruder a 
warm reception. The governor gave command to 
fire a cannon, as a signal to those who were absent 
to hasten home Immediately every male person in 



ARRIVAL OF THE FORTUNE. 67 

the colony wlio could shoulder a musket was on 
hand, armed and equipped with weapons and cour- 
age to repel the assailants, in case of an attack. 
We can imagine the painful suspense which they 
experienced as the vessel gradually approached. 
How ijiitently they observed her ! How carefully 
they studied her architecture, and the manner in 
which she was rigged ! How they strained their eyes 
to make out her flag, the symbol of her nationality, 
that they might know with certainty what to expect, 
and what to do ! Their suspense was not of long 
duration. As the vessel neared the harbor, they 
recognized her as a friend. It was the Fortune, 
bringing an accession of tliirty-five persons from 
England to the colony. Fearful apprehension now 
gave place to great joy. There were warm greet- 
ings, rapid inquiries, brief answers. .Painful and 
pleasurable intelligence was communicated in rapid 
succession, causing smiles and tears to alternate 
upon their features, like sunlight and shadow chasing 
each other over the fields. 

Amono^ those whom the Fortune brousfht over 
were Robert Cushman, and, in all probability, some 
of the others, of whom there were twenty, who 
were left behind with him when the Speedwell was 
abandoned. 

As the friends in England had received from the 
colonists glowing accounts of the abundance of food 



C8 THE FORTUNE CAPTURED. 

which they found in the New World, this second 
company had deemed it unnecessary to bring with 
them any stores to be used after their arrival. This 
proved to be exceedingly unfortunate. Indeed, the 
vessel itself was furnished with supplies only to 
reach New England, so that the colonists were not 
only obliged out of their limited means to support 
the new immigrants, but also to furnish the vessel 
with stores for her return voyage. The conse. 
quence of this combination of unpropitious circum- 
stances was, that soon after the departure of the 
Fortune, the colonists were all put upon half allow- 
ance of food, which, however, they endured with 
great patience. 

The Fortune left Plymouth, on her return, De- 
cember 13, 1621. She carried, as specimens of the 
productions of the country and of the industry of 
the colony, two hogsheads of peltries, consisting of 
beaver and otter skins, and a variety of lumber, 
the value of the whole being about $1500. As she 
approached the coast of England, she was discov- 
ered by a French vessel, pursued, overtaken, seized, 
and carried "into France, where she was robbed of 
all that was valuable. After being detained there a 
fortnight, she and her crew were released. 



CHAPTER VI. 

" Treachery oft lurks 
In compliments. You have sent so many posts 
Of undertakings, they outride performance ; 
And make me think your fair pretences aim 
At some intended ill, which my prevention 
Must strive to avert." 

Singular Visitor. — Mysterious Packag-e for Squanto. — The Vis- 
itor made a Captive. — His Disclosures. — He is released and 
sent Home with a bold Message. — Squanto explains the Pack- 
age. — A Package of Powder and Balls sent in Reply to it. — 
It is regarded w^ith Terror. — Is finally sent back unopened. — 
Defensive Preparations. — First General Muster. — An Indian's 
Advice. — Another Expedition. — Signal for Return. — Why 
called back. — Hobbamock denies Indian Rumors. — Squanto 
falls under Suspicion. — His deceitful Conduct. — The buried 
Plague. — Massasoit demands Squanto's Death. — The Messen- 
gers ready to kill him. — His unexpected Deliverance. — The 
Messengers offended. — More Immigrants. — Winslow sent to 
Maine for Food. — Massacre in Virginia. — Fort built. — Used 
as a Church. — Puritan Character. 



A SHORT time subsequent to the departure of the 
Fortune, an Indian from the Narragansett tribe vis- 
ited the colony, as a messenger from Canonicus, 
their renowned chief. He inquired for Squanto, 
but seemed pleased when informed of his absence. 
Leaving for him a package of singular character, 
he was about to return immediately, but was pre- 
vented. This package consisted of a bundle of new 
arrows, wrapped in the skin of a rattlesnake. The 



70 A SINGUL.VR PACKAGE. 

governor having heard that the Narragansetts had 
threatened to make war upon the Enghsh, and 
being suspicious that arrows and rattlesnakes ar- 
gued nothing friendly, that they could not be sym- 
bolical of the same sentiment as the olive branch, 
gave orders to Captain Standish to take the mes- 
senger prisoner, and detain him. At first, the poor 
fellow was frightened ; but as his sentinels treated 
him with kindness, he gathered courage, and be- 
came communicative. In answer to inquiries, he 
informed the colonists that a messenger who had 
been sent to negotiate with them respecting a treaty 
of peace, the preceding summer, when he returned, 
had used his influence to persuade Canonicus to go 
to war. He also detained some of the presents 
which they had sent by him to his chief, and which, 
if they had been delivered to Canonicus, would 
have convinced him of their friendly designs, and 
prevented all beUigerent threats. He said that 
when he should return and relate to Canonicus the 
real feelings of the English, he would enter into 
peace with them. The governor ordered him to 
inform his master that they had heard the many 
threats which he had uttered against them, and were 
offended ; that although they were desirous of living 
on terms of peace with him, yet if he made any 
warlike demonstrations, he would find them pre- 
pared to meet him. Having concluded to release 



ITS INTERPRETATION. 71 

him, they offered him some food, which he dechned 
receiving. He expressed much thankfulness for liis 
deUverance. So great was his anxiety to return, 
that no persuasion, nor no violence of the weather, 
could induce him to tarry after his release. He set 
out for home in a driving storm. 

When Squanto returned, and the package of 
arrows and snake-skin was placed in his hands, he 
said it expressed enmity, and was equivalent to a 
challenge. The question then arose. What shall we 
do ? How shall we reply to it ? After deliberation 
upon the subject, the governor filled the skin with 
powder and shot, and sent it back to Canonicus, 
with the message, that if the English were supplied 
with ships, they would save the Narragansetts the 
trouble of coming so far, by sailing to them and 
meeting them in their own dominions ; still, if they 
should come to the colony, they would always find 
the people ready to receive them. When this mes- 
sage was delivered to Canonicus, it impressed him 
with the courage of the English. He saw that 
threats did not terrify them. As to the snake-skin 
of powder and shot, under the influence of super- 
stition, or fear, or perhaps both, he would not touch 
it, nor suffer it to stay in his house, nor in any part 
of his dominions. The messenger who brought it 
would not remove it. Another Indian took it up, 
and after it had been bandied about from one place 



72 FIRST GENERAL 3IUSTER. 

to another, every where regarded as an object of 
terror, it was at last brought back, unopened^ to the 
colony. 

Notwithstanding the bold front which the English 
presented to the Indians, and their professed readi- 
ness to meet them, they were deeply sensible of 
their real weakness. They knew that the little 
town was illy prepared for a sudden or powerful 
attack. They accordingly adopted means of addi- 
tional defence, by impaling it, including also the top 
of the hill under which the town was placed. They 
also made four bulwarks or " jetties " on the out- 
side of the pale. The captain then divided his men 
into four companies, and appointed over each one 
to command. He also ordered a general training, 
when he assigned every officer his place, gave him 
his men, and charged them all to resort immedi- 
ately, on any alarm, to their assigned places, under 
their own leaders. One part of the exercises on 
that occasion consisted in each officer marching liis 
men to their appointed places, and there discharging 
their guns' simultaneously. After this, the men 
escorted their officers to their dwelhngs, fired a 
salute in their honor, and then dispersed. This 
may be considered as " the first general muster in 
New England," and the germ of the militia system 
which at present prevails there. 

After these arrangements wefe completed, it was 



SQUANTO SUSPECTED. 73 

deemed desirable to make another voyage to the 
Massachusetts. Hobbamock endeavored to dissuade 
them from it, on the ground that he feared the Mas- 
sachusetts were in league with the Narragansetts, 
and would seize the opportunity to attack, and, 
perhaps, kill the captain and liis company during 
their absence, whilst the Narragansetts might, at the 
same time, make war upon the town. He also 
expressed the fear that the unsuspected Squanto 
was in alUance with them, and would employ every 
effort to entice the Pilgrims away from their boat, 
so that they might be more favorably attacked. It 
was, on the whole, deemed best, notwithstanding 
the statements of Hobbomock, to proceed on the 
voyage, though with more than usual caution. Ac- 
cordingly, Captain Standish, with ten men, accom- 
panied also by Squanto and Hobbomock, set sail. 
After proceeding a few miles, the wind ceased, and 
they were becalmed. Whilst they were lying here, 
they heard three reports of a cannon, as a signal fo. 
them to return. After they had left, an Indian who 
belonged to Squanto's family came running with 
great haste to some of the colonists who were at a 
distance from home, telling them to return immedi- 
ately, as the Narragansetts, with Massasoit, Corbi- 
tant, and many others, were on their way to attack 
the settlement, during the absence of the captain. 
This story appeared the more plausible, from the 
7 ^ 



74 FALSE REPORTS. 

fact that his face was covered with blood, which he 
said was occasioned by a wound that he received for 
speaking in defence of the colonists. He pretended 
to be in great fear, looking frequently beliind him, 
as if to see whether he was pursued. Being brought 
to the governor, he told him the same story. The 
governor at once ordered the cannon to be fired, 
that if the voyagers were not beyond hearing, they 
might return. They retraced their course as soon 
as possible, with considerable anxiety to kiiow the 
cause of their recall. Upon their arrival, they found 
the town prepared for action ; but as soon as the 
rumor of the invasion was mentioned, Hobbamock 
said it was all false ; that Massasoit was faithful to 
his treaty, and, besides, he would not go to war 
without his knowledge, as he always, on such 
occasions, consulted his braves, of whom he was 
one. To obtain certain information, the governor 
sent the wife of Hobbamock to Pokanoket, the 
residence of Massasoit, to make secret observations 
and inquiries, and bring back the result. Finding 
every thing peaceful at Pokanoket, she informed 
Massasoit of the rumor and its effect at the colony. 
The old chief was much offended at Squanto, but 
grateful to the governor that his confidence in him 
was not shaken, and repeated his determination to 
abide by the treaty. Squanto now fell under sus- 
picion. The whole of this trouble was traced to 



THE BURIED PLAGUE. 75 

him. He was severely reprimanded by the gov- 
ernor ; but his services as interpreter being so im- 
portant, he could not be dismissed. It was now 
ascertained to have been his pohcy to make the 
Indians around the settlement beheve that he had 
great influence with the English, and that he could 
induce them to make war or peace. He would 
sometimes send word to the Indians that the Enghsh 
were about to attack them, in order that they might 
bestow upon him gifts to prevent it. 

He was a deceitful, selfish, covetous, and ambi- 
tious fellow, and had managed his operations so 
artfully, as to be held in greater reverence by some 
of the Indians than Massasoit himself. Among the 
methods which he resorted to in order to impress 
the natives with the wonderful power of the Eng- 
lish, was the relation of falsehoods respecting the 
miraculous agencies at their command. "These 
pale-faces," said he to a group of wondering na- 
tives, " are a wise and powerful people. Diseases 
are at their command. They have now buried in 
the ground, under their store house, the plague ! 
They can send it forth to any place, or upon any 
people they please, and sweep them all away, though 
they themselves went not a step from home." When 
sent for by the governor, on one occasion, he with 
Hobbamock and several others entered the house. 
A hole had been dug in the floor for the purpose of 



76 SQUANTO IN DANGER. 

concealing certain articles, and the ground was left 
in a broken state. Hobbamock, looking down to it, 
asked Squanto, — 

" What does that mean ? " 

" That," said the wily Indian, " is the place 
where the plague is buried, that I told you of ! " 

Hobbamock, to be satisfied of the truth or false- 
hood of tliis marvellous statement, asked one of the 
colonists, on a subsequent occasion, if it were so. 

" No," said the stern, truthful Puritan ; " we 
have not the plague at our command, but the God 
whom we worsliip has, and he can send it forth to 
the destruction of both liis enemies and ours." 

When the true character of the interpreter be- 
came known, the colonists spared no pains to con- 
tradict his falsehoods, and to inform the natives of 
the true relations wliich he sustained. 

The liigh-minded Massasoit was so indignant 
towards Squanto for the false rumors he had caused 
to be circulated respecting liis alliance with* the 
Narragansetts to oppose the Enghsh, that he desired 
to put him to death, and demanded Mm of the 
governor for that purpose. The governor replied, 
that although Squanto deserved death, yet it was 
desirable that he be spared, on account of his ac- 
quaintance with both languages, as, without him, it 
wo.uld be difficult for them to communicate with 
each other. Massasoit was not satisfied. He de- 



SQUANTO ESCAPES. Tl 

mauded him in accordance with the treaty which 
had been formed ; yet, as a satisfaction to the gov- 
ernor, for the loss of liis services, he offered him 
many beaver-skins. The governor repUed, that the 
Enghsh did not give men to death for a reward, and 
therefore decUned receiving liis gifts. He, however, 
sent for Squanto, who, though he knew that the 
messengers were seeking liis life, willingly complied 
with the command of the governor, and yielded 
liimself up to his disposal. The messengers of 
Massasoit, being determined, if possible, to obtain 
Squanto, and having brought with them their sa- 
chem's knife for the purpose of cutting oiF his 
head and hands, continued to press their claims. 
The governor wavered. He had nearly decided to 
yield to the chief's wishes — he fully so decided, 
and just as he was about to deliver the poor, false 
interpreter into the hands of the messengers, which 
would have been the sealing of his doom, the giving 
of him over to the tortures of an Indian execution, 
an unexpected object seen in the distance thwarted 
his intentions. 

This unexpected object was a boat, which was 
seen to cross the harbor, and conceal itself behind a 
headland, not far from the colony. It belonged not 
to the settlers, neither was it a native craft. 

« May it not be French 1 " 
7* 



78 A STRANGE CRAFT. 

" It is rumored that the French have combined 
with savages against us." 

" Had we not better wait until this question is 
settled, before we, deliver up Squanto 1 " 

The governor so decided. When he informed 
the messengers of Massasoit that he would not 
deliver Squanto into their hands until he had ascer- 
tained the character of the suspicious boat, they 
were greatly enraged, and departed in a violent pas- 
sion. Tliis was a fortunate occurrence for the 
guilty interpreter. It resulted in his deUverance 
from death. 

It was soon discovered that the boat wliich had 
produced tliis excitement was a friendly shallop, be- 
longing to a vessel called the Sparrow, engaged in 
fishing on the coast of Maine. She was owned by 
Thomas Weston, a merchant of London, and had 
brought out six or seven passengers, to be landed at 
Plymouth. These immigrants, like those who came 
in the Fortune, brought no food with them. As it 
was now May, and the winter stock of the little 
colony nearly exhausted, as wild fowl could not be 
found, and they had neither hooks nor seines for 
fishing, there was a prospect of suffering in future, 
unless stores could be obtained from some unex- 
pected quarter. It was concluded to send Mr. 
Winslow back with tliis shallop to Maine, to pur- 
chase, if possible, provisions from the fishing vessels 



WINSLOW VISITS MAINE. 79 

which fiyBquented that coast. He went, taking with 
him the boat belonging to the colony. He was 
kindly received by the fishermen, who, though they 
would not sell him victuals, cheerfully gave liim all 
they could spare, expressing, at the same time, 
regret that they had not the ability to do more. 
He was successful in procuring enough to supply 
tlie wants of the colony, upon a moderate allow- 
ance, until their own crops were ripe. 

Being informed by the captain of one of these 
fishermen, of a dreadful massacre of the wliites by 
the Indians in Virginia, when three hundred and 
forty-seven were slain with great barbarity; and 
hearing, also, that the Indians round the colony 
were glorying in its weakness, and boasting how 
easily it could be destroyed, it was deemed advisable 
to erect a fort upon the top of the liill, under which 
the town was sheltered, from wliich a few individ- 
uals might make a vigorous defence. The work 
was commenced with great zeal, and with the unan- 
imous concurrence of the whole company. After 
it was finished, it was used as a house of worship, 
as well as a place of defence ! The Puritans be- 
lieved in the importance of " works " as well as of 
faith. Their confidence in their heavenly Preserver 
was never sufiered to diminish their efforts for self- 
preservation. They expected no Hercules to ap- 
pear and remove their difficulties, so long as they 



80 PURITAN PRINCIPLES. 

did not put their own shoulder to the wheel. Sensi- 
ble of their personal obligations, they adopted every 
possible means for their defence and prosperity, and 
then trusted in their divine Protector to crowai them 
with success. The same building was at once their 
fort and their church. They went to prayer with 
their weapons on. They prefaced their battles with 
devotion. They rigidly kept the Sabbath, and they 
dihgently worked six days in the week. They 
fished for a living, and fasted as an act of piety. 
They were thankful for blessings, and thoughtful in 
making bargains. They " walked softly before the 
Lord," and circumspectly in the midst of perils. 
They feared to oJEFend God, but feared not to fight 
combined tribes of Indians when self-defence re- 
quired it. 



CHAPTER VII. 

" A lazy, lolling sort, 
Unseen at church, at senate, or at court, 
Of ever listless loit'rers, that attend 
No cause, no trust, no duty, and no friend."-^ Pope. 

Arrival of the Charity and the Swan. — A New Colony. — Its Mate- 
rials. — Its Object. — Its Difficulties. — An Expedition in Part- 
nership. — Chatham. — Shyness of the Natives. — Success in 
Trade. — Squanto dies. — His last Request. — His History. — 
' Favorable Providence. — Indiscretion of the New Colony. — 
Storm. — The Shallop aground. — Stores left in the Care of In- 
dians. — The Rieturn. — Puritan Firmness. — Indian Theft. — 
Restoration Demanded. — Its Result. — Ludicrous Ceremony.— 
Folly of Imitation. — Indian Gamblers. — Mysterious Visitors.— 
Their Object. — Indian Brawl and Murder. — Hobbamock's Ad- 
vice. — A Powwow executed. 

About the beginning of July, 1622, two vessels 
came round Cape Cod, and in a few hours anchored 
in the harbor of Plymouth. They were the Charity 
and the Swan. They belonged to Mr. Weston, who 
had formerly been much interested in the settlers at 
Plymouth, but who had recently concluded to plant 
a colony of liis own somewhere in Massachusetts 
Bay. The pioneers of this new plantation had come 
over in these two vessels. They landed at Plym- 
outh, and were received with as much hospitality 
as the impoverished condition of the colony would 
afford. They proved to be very undesirable visitors, 



82 COLONIAL SPECULATION. 

and peculiarly unfit to be the founders of a settle- 
ment in the midst of hostile or suspicious Indians. 
They were a great annoyance to the Puritans whilst 
they tarried with them, and to the Indians after they 
left and had commenced a plantation of their own. 
They were a rude, profane, improvident, thievish set 
of men. They wasted the colonist's corn, and re- 
paid their kindness with backbitings and revihngs. 
An exploring party was sent out from them to dis- 
cover a suitable place for settlement.. They selected 
a spot which the Indians called Wessagusset, now 
known as Weymouth. Thither they all went except 
the invalids, who, by the permission of the governor, 
remained at Plymouth until they were restored to 
health. The kindness of the surgeon. Dr. Fuller, 
was shown in his making no charge for his profes- 
sional services, although he might justly have sent in 
a bill. 

This second colony was purely a business affair. 
It was a speculation. It was entirely destitute of 
every religious element, though it abounded with 
irreligious ones. The men were far from being 
Puritans, and ought never to be confounded with 
them. They feared neither God nor man. As 
might have been expected, they soon became em- 
broiled with the Indians. The robberies and other 
crimes they committed irritated the savages, who 
poured their complaints into the ears of the Plym- 



THE NEW COLONY. 83 

outh people. The Puritans remonstrated with 
them, told them of the wickedness of their course, 
and what would be its inevitable consequence if 
they persisted in it. At the same time, they informed 
the Indians that the two settlements were entirely 
independent of each other, and however much they 
disapproved the conduct of the Weymoutliites, they 
could not control them, neither were they responsible 
for them. 

In consequence of their mismanagement, it was not 
long before Weston's colony was reduced to great 
straits. It was therefore proposed, that, in company 
with some of the Plymouth people, they should make 
a voyage to the different Indian settlements along 
shore, in order to procure corn, beans, or other arti- 
cles of food. Terms of agreement being settled be- 
tween the two colonies, as to the division of the 
articles which they might obtain, the parties set sail 
in the Swan, taking with them the shallop. The 
first night they reached Manamoick, now known 
as Chatham. The governor, with Squanto and a 
few others, went ashore. At first, the natives were 
very shy. After they understood the object of the 
visit, they were more accessible. They welcomed 
the party in their usual rude style, furnishing them 
an abundance of venison and other food, but at the 
same time they were particularly careful to conceal 
from them their wigwams. It was evident that they 



84 SQUANTO'S DEATH. 

were apprehensive of danger. They had not full 
confidence in the peaceful professions of their visitors. 
But when they learned that it was the governor's 
intention to spend the night on shore, they first had 
all their valuables removed from their huts and 
stored in some place of concealment, and then they 
invited the party to their homes. As one of the men 
walked about, he accidentally discovered their place 
of conceahuent ; immediately the Indians fled, 
taking with them their property^ to hide in a place 
of greater security. Being discovered again, they 
fled as before, taking ev«ry thing with them. This 
they did repeatedly — as often as they were seen. 
Squanto finally succeeded in allaying their fears and 
persuading them to traffic. The party obtained from 
them eight hogsheads of corn and beans. This was 
the last service which poor Squanto rendered to the 
Enghsh. He was here attacked -with a fever, at- 
tended with bleeding at the nose. His symptoms 
became worse. .Nothing that was done produced 
any favorable effect. The disease hastened to a 
crisis. He was convinced that he could not recover. 
As memorials of liis love and gratitude, he bequeathed 
various articles to liis different Enghsh friends. 

" Pray for me," said this dying Indian to Governor 
Bradford, " pray for me, that I may go to the Eng- 
hshman'sGod in Heaven." After which he soon 
expired. Tliis child of nature had passed through a 



SQUANTO'S HISTORY. 85 

more varied experience than usually fell to the lot of 
the sons of the forest. He had, as we have seen, 
been kidnapped by Hunt, taken across the Atlantic, 
and sold into slavery in Spain ; — he was liberated 
by the Cathohcs ; passed over to England ; acquired 
something of the language ; returned to the land of 
his fathers, and found liimself the only one of his 
tribe in these parts who had not been cut off by the 
plague. His previous liistory had admirably quah- 
fied liim to be an interpreter between the natives and 
the English, for in addition to his knowledge of the 
languages, his having been to England was of great 
importance, as it enabled liim to give information to 
the Indians concerning the numbers, the sliips, the 
cities, and the greatness of the English, by wliich they 
would have more correct and exalted opinions of 
them, and would more readily enter into alliance 
with them. Doubtless before the arrival of the May- 
flower, Squanto had related liis adventures to the 
Indians, and told them of the greatness and power 
of the English, as seen in their own land. It is not 
improbable that the information he gave was gener- 
ally circulated among the tribes around Massachu- 
setts Bay, so that they stood more in awe of the 
English than they would have done, if it had not been 
for liis communications. It was certainly a very 
favorable providence that the Puritans, who, upon 
their arrival, were profoundly ignorant of the lan- 
8 



86 INDISCRETION AND WICKEDNESS. 

guage of the Indians, should so soon have found one 
competent to be an interpreter. Through his instru- 
mentahty, misunderstandings and difficuhies were 
avoided, which otherwise might easily have occurred. 
The suspicions of the Indians were allayed. The 
real character and objects of the English were made 
known to them, and negotiations entered into which 
resulted in a friendly alliance. 

It was the design of the party to visit some of the 
tribes to the south of Cape Cod. But, in consequence 
of the death of Squanto, this was abandoned. The 
wind being favorable, they returned to the Massachu- 
setts, who had promised to plant a quantity of corn 
for the Enghsh. Upon their arrival there, they found 
the Indians suffering from the prevalence of a disease 
somewhat similar to the plague. Trade was de- 
stroyed there, in consequence of the indiscreet man- 
ner in which it had been conducted by Weston's 
men, they having purchased of the Indians at much 
liigher rates than the Puritans were accustomed to 
give. Beads, trinkets, and cutlery had fallen in value. 
Notwithstanchng their wickedness, they were not so 
good at a bargain as the Plymouthites. The Indians 
repeated their complaints of the villanies of the new 
colony. The party next visited Nauset, now East- 
ham, where they obtained eight or ten hogsheads of 
beans and corn. But a storm coming on, and their 
shallop being cast away, they had no means of re- 



DIVISION OF STORES. 87 

moving the stores which they had bought. The corn 
was therefore placed in a heap, covered with mats 
and coarse sedge, and committed to the care of an 
Indian, with the promise, that, if he prevented it from 
being stolen, or from being injured by vermin, he 
should be suitably rewarded. The shallop was found 
half buried in the sand, but too much injured to be 
repaired with the means then at their disposal. They 
left that in the care of the cliief, mth the assurance, 
that, if it received no additional injury, and if the 
grain which they had purchased should not be 
touched, they would regard it as evidence of their 
sincere friendliness ; but if the shallop or the stores 
should be molested, they would deem it an unfavora- 
ble indication, and would punish them accordingly. 
After the governor had completed these arrange- 
jnents, he, with a portion of the company, set out for 
Plymouth, on foot, where they arrived safely, though 
with sore feet and great fatigue, after walldng fifty 
miles. 

Within two or three days after, the Swan arrived, 
bringing the remainder. The corn and beans which 
they had brought being now divided between the 
two parties, Weston's men returned home. 

Whilst the Puritans were careful not to wrong the 
Indians, neither would they let the Indians injure 
them. They deemed it important always to exhibit 
a firm determination to exact their just dues, and by 



88 RIDICULOUS CEREMONY. 

no means to be sinned against with impunity. When 
they detected, on the part of the natives, misdemeanors, 
their sachems were informed of it, and restitution de- 
manded at once. An ilhistration of this decision of 
character was furnished during their recent visit at 
Eastham. An Indian entered their shallop, which 
had been drawn up into one of the numerous creeks 
with wliich that place abounds, and stole from it 
beads, scissors, and other articles. As soon as it 
was known, the captain took a number of his men, 
went to the sachem, informed liim of the theft, and 
in a bold tone demanded the restoration of the miss- 
ing articles, or the delivery of the thief, with the 
declaration, that, if this demand was unheeded, he 
would inflict summary punishment upon them before 
he left. He then withdrew till morning, declining to 
receive their proffered hospitality. The IncUans not. 
only knew that a robbery had been committed, but 
also who was the criminal. The next day, the 
sachem, accompanied with many of liis tribe, visited 
the English, at their rendezvous, in as great state as 
he could command. As they approached the captain, 
each man thrust out his tongue the whole length, 
licked his hands from the wrists to the ends of his 
lingers, at the same time bending the knee and bow- 
ing in such an awkward, ungainly manner, that the 
English could with difficulty restrain their laughter. 
They presented an extremely ludicrous spectacle. 



INDIAN GAMBLERS. cy 

This ridiculous ceremony was not one of their own 
original customs. It was an attempt to imitate the 
Enghsh mode of salutation, according to instructions 
received from Squanto. As he had been to England, 
was acquainted with their language, and made it his 
home much of the time at Plymouth, where he saw " 
their customs and manners daily, the Indians, without 
doubt, regarded him as fully competent to initiate 
them into the mysteries of English politeness. Hence 
their readiness to follow his directions on this occa- 
sion. But like certain imitations of foreign customs 
and fashions which are sometimes practised among 
civilized people, it partook of the absurd. However, 
it was well intended, and was received in the same 
spirit. Salutations being over, the sachem restored 
the stolen articles to the captain, at the same time 
informing him that he had given the guilty party a 
sound beating. 

The Indians were great gamblers. In games of 
hazard or skill, they would sometimes lose their 
knives, hatchets, skins, clothes, dwellings, food, 
money, and even their own liberty. A vice seldom 
exists alone. Crimes are gregarious. As mth more 
cultivated gamesters, so with these blacklegs of the 
forest, theif playing sometimes led to quarrels, bat- 
tles, wounds, and death. 

One bitter cold January night, whilst the governor 
wsi^ at Buzzard's Bay, on a visit to the chief, Cana- 
8* 



90 GAJVIBLING AND MUfLDER. 

cum, two Indians arrived froin Manamoick, now 
Chatham. They entered the wigwam, dehberately 
laid aside their weapons, seated themselves by the 
fire, and took a pipe, without any words passing be- 
tween them and the occupants of the tent. That 
they had come on some important embassy, was evi- 
dent from their appearance and manners, but what it 
was no one knew. After remaining some time in 
silence, they ventured to raise their eyes towards 
Canacum. One of them gave a short address, and 
then, in the name of liis sachem, presented to Cana- 
cum a basket of tobacco and a quantity of beads, 
wliich were thankfully received. He then disclosed 
the object of their visit in an address of greater 
length, the purport of which was as follows : As 
two men of their tribe were gambling, they fell into a 
quarrel. From words they came to blows, and in 
the fight one of them was slain ! Unfortunately, the 
murderer was a powwow, a distinguished medicine 
man among them, whom they were reluctant to exe- 
cute. But another tribe, more powerful than theirs, 
had espoused the cause of the murdered man, and 
had declared, that if the murderer was not put to 
death, they would deem it a just occasion of war, 
and would act accordingly. They had come, there- 
fore, from their sachem, to obtain advice, as he had 
resolved to form no decision in the case mitil their 
return. After the speech, all the savages remained 



THE FATAL CONSEQUENCE. 91 

a considerable time in silence, as if solemnly con- 
sidering the important subject. At length, they be- 
gan to express their opinions. Hobbamock, who 
was present as the governor's interpreter, was asked 
his advice. He replied, that, as the acquittal of the 
powvvow would lead to war, in which many would 
be killed, he thought it was better that one guilty 
person should die, rather than many who were in- 
nocent. Upon which, the murderer, who was then 
held in custody, was sentenced to be executed. 

Gambling is a vice, of a most enticing and de- 
structive nature. It is painfully interesting to notice 
that It leads to the same dreadful results among the 
ignorant savages of the forest, as among professional 
gamesters of more civilized communities. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

" And when they talk of him, they shake their heads, 
And whisper one another in the ear ; 
And he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist ; 
Whilst he that hears makes fearful action, 
And wrinkled brows, with nods, with rolling eyes." — SHAKSPEiRE. 

Fears of Conspiracy. — Illness of Massasoit. — Winslow, with two 
others, sets out to visit him. — Arrives at a Ferry. — Hears that 
Massasoit is dead. — Hobbamock's deep Grief. — His Descrip- 
tion of the Chief. — They visit Corbitant's House. — A 3Ies- 
seng-er sent to Pokanoket. — Returns with the News that Mas- 
sasoit is yet alive. — The Party press on. — Their Arrival. — 
Powwows at work upon the sick Chief. — Winslow prescribes 
for him. — He improves. — Eats too hearty, and becomes worse. 
— Indian Custom. — Efforts to persuade Massasoit to oppose the 
English. — They are unsuccessful. — Massasoit reveals the Con- 
spiracy. — His Advice. — Conversation with Corbitant. — How 
the Puritans taught the Indians. — Origin of Traditions. 

Not long after this, the colonists began to sus- 
pect, from various facts whicli had come to their 
knowledge, that the Indians were plotting their de- 
struction. These suspicions were afterwards con- 
firmed, when it became necessary to take vigorous 
measures for their defence ; but previous to any 
actual colhsion between them, the painful intelli- 
gence was brought to Plymouth, that Massasoit, 
their tried friend, was dangerously ill, and, also, that 
a ship belonging to the Dutch was stranded near 
liis dwelling. It was deemed advisable for Winslow 



MESSENGERS TO MASSASOIT. ^3 

to visit him, to express the sympathy of the colo- 
nists in liis affliction, and to render liim any assist- 
ance in their power. Another object which they 
had in view, was to obtain an interview with the 
Dutch. As Winslow was somewhat acquainted 
with their language, he was selected for this pur- 
pose. He was accompanied on liis journey by a 
Mr. Jolni Hamden, a gentleman from London, who 
happened to be wintering at Plymouth, and who 
desired to see the country, and by Hobbamock, who, 
since the death of Squanto, had acted as interpreter 
for the colony. This was in March, 1623. The 
first night they reached Namasket, now Middle- 
borough, where Standish and liis men made their 
midnight attack in search of Corbitant. About 
noon, the next day, they arrived at a ferry ; but 
seeing no one, Winslow fired his piece. Tliis 
brought the Indians out, who informed him that 
Massasoit was dead and buried, and that the Dutch 
ship was afloat, and would probably be gone before 
they could reach there. Tliis was unwelcome news, 
especially to jhe interpreter. They were now about 
three miles from the residence of Corbitant. As it 
was probable he would succeed to the cliieftainship, 
upon the death of Massasoit, Winslow regarded it 
important to see him at that time, in order to enter 
into a more friendly alliance with him. As the 
others had no objection, although there was some 



94 RUMORS OF THE CHIEF's DEATH. 

peril in the undertaking, arising from tiie previous 
collision with Corbitant, he started towards Matta- 
poiset, liis village. This was in Swansej. On the 
way, Ilobbamock could not restrain his grief for the 
death of Massasoit, but gave utterance to his feel- 
ings in the exclamation, " O my chief, my dear, my 
loving chief ! with many have I been acquainted, 
but none ever equalled thee." Then turning to his 
friend, he said, " O Master Winslow, his like you 
will never see again. He was not like other In- 
dians, fiijse, bloody, and implacable ; but kind, easily 
appeased when angry, easily reconciled with of- 
fenders. He was reasonable in liis requirements ; 
was not ashamed to ask advice of those in low 
stations. He w^as a wise ruler. He governed bet- 
ter with mild, than other chiefs did with severe, 
measures, returning love for love. I fear you have 
not now a faithful friend left among the Indians." 
He would then break forth again in loud lamenta- 
tions, " enough," as Winslow says, " to have made 
the hardest heart relent." There is something 
deeply affecting in the artlessness of this Indian's 
sorrow, and in the simple frankness of its utterance. 
It was not a mere outburst of feeling, for which no 
intelligent reason could be assigned, but a grapliic 
delineation of the qualities of him whose decease 
was lamented, which delineation also served to 
deepen the intensity of his sorrow, by bringing more 



THE chief's wretched CONDITION. 95 

vividly before him the greatness of his loss. It re- 
minds us of the lamentation of David over his 
friend Jonathan. " I am distressed - for thee, my 
brother Jonathan : very pleasant hast thou been 
unto me. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing 
the love of women." 

When they arrived at the residence of Corbitant, 
they found him absent. UjDon making inquiries of 
his wife, they learned that she had not heard, with 
any degree of certainty, of Massasoit's death- They 
then hired a messenger, and sent liim in great haste 
to Pokanoket, to ascertain the true state of the case. 
Just before sunset, he returned with the intelligence 
that the chief was not yet dead, but probably would 
be before they could arrive. They at once started, 
hoping to reach him before he breathed his last. 
When they arrived, they found the house so full of 
visitors, that it was with great difficulty they could 
effect an entrance. When they had succeeded, they 
beheld a scene so repulsive, and so annoying, as to 
be almost sufficient to banish what little vitality the 
poor, sick sagamore possessed. Not only was the 
place filled with nlthy Indians, who effectually for- 
bade all fresh air to the dying man, but the pow- 
"wows were at work with their magical incantations, 
now rubbing him, now yelling, now making frantic 
gesticulations, so that if the disease had been intel- 
ligent, and cognizant of what was in progress, it ^ 



96 WINSLOW'S KINDNESS. 

would have been effectually frightened away. Six 
or eight were over him with their manipulations at 
once, and at a time when he ought to have been 
favored with perfect quiet. After their superstitious 
spells and exorcisms were over, they informed him 
that his English friends had come to see him. The 
visitors approached his couch, and rejoiced to find 
that his reason continued, though his sight was gone. 
" Who is come ? " asked the blind old chief. 
" Winsnow," said they, being unable to pronounce 
the I. " I want to speak with liim," said the pros- 
trate son of the forest, at the same time reaching 
forth his feeble hand. Winslow seized his extended 
hand, and placed himself close by his couch. " Art 
thou Wjnsnow ? " feebly inquired the sick chief ; 
" art thou Winsnow ? " " Yes," was the reply. 
" O Winsnow, I shall never see thee more," said he, 
in liis own language. Hobbamock was now called, 
and, through him, Winslow conveyed to the invahd 
the sympathy of the governor, informing him that 
such was his desire for his restoration to health, that 
he had sent liim some things which he thought 
might be of service, and if he was wilhng to take 
them, he, liimself, would prepare them. He said he 
was willing. Winslow then took upon the point of 
his knife a " confection of many comfortable con- 
serves," which, with some difficulty, he passed be- 
tween the patient's teeth. When this was swal- 



MASSASOIT BETTER. 97 

lowed, those that stood around him were filled with 
joy, this being the first that he had swallowed for 
two days. His mouth was fi)und to be in a very 
bad state, and his tongue thickly coated, and greatly 
swollen. Winslow, with great kindness, washed his 
mouth, scraped his tongue, and cleansed him as well 
as he could. He then administered more of the 
conserves, which were swallowed with greater ease 
than the first. In a short time, he gave indica- 
tions of decided improvement. Among other good 
signs, his sight began to return. As notliing suit- 
able for a sick person could be found in his wig- 
wam, a messenger was despatched to Plymouth to 
obtain medicines, cliickens for broth, and other 
needful articles. This he regarded as extremely 
kind. Winslow, though miaccustomed to the busi- 
ness, made for him some broth without any fowl — 
a kind of mock-cliicken soup. It was corn gruel, 
seasoned with green strawberry leaves and slices of 
sassafras root. He strained it through his pocket 
handkerchief, and then gave him about a half a 
pint, which he drank with a good relish. After this, 
he improved more rapidly. Being, as Hobbamock 
had said, a man of kindly feeling, he desired Wins- 
low to visit some of his people who were sick, 
cleanse their mouths, and administer some of the 
same articles to them wliich he had given to him, 
"for," said he, "they are good persons." His 
9 



98 THE chief's indiscretion and relapse. 

request was complied with, though Winslow found 
it a very offensive service. He expressed a desire 
for some pottage made of goose, or duck. Wins- 
loW went out, in company with an Indian, after one. 
They discovered a brace of ducks. When Winslow, 
at a distance of more than a hundred paces, shot 
and killed one of them, his companion was aston- 
ished. It appeared to liim almost miraculous. 
This was dressed and boiled. Being very fat, it 
made gross broth. Winslow was about to skim it. 
Massasoit forbade him. Winslow entreated him to 
allow it to be done, as otherwise it might injure 
him. The sick cliief persisted in his refusal. When 
it was prepared, the invalid, instead of taking a 
small quantity, sufficient for his present wants, made 
a hearty meal. He overloaded his stomach, which, 
in the course of an hour, produced violent vomiting 
and bleeding at the nose, which continued for sev- 
eral hours. All now regretted that he had not 
complied with the directions of his nurse. His case 
became worse, and death seemed near. In the 
course of time, however, these unfavorable symp- 
toms were allayed, and he began to improve. 
When the messengers returned from Plymouth, 
bringing with them chickens and medicine, he was 
so far recovered that he did not need the medicine, 
and the chickens he concluded to keep, in order to 
raise others. 



INDIAN CUSTOM. W 

It was customary among the Indians, when any 
one was sick mth a disease that was not contagious, 
for all his friends to visit him, as a testimony of 
their respect and sympathy. So miiversally was the 
good prince of Pocanoket esteemed, that friends 
came from a distance of a hundred miles to see 
him, to whom he related all the circumstances of 
liis illness ; how blind he was ; how extremely low ; 
how his English friends visited him, nursed liim, 
administered medicine, and raised him up to Ms 
present degree of strength. In tliis manner, the 
characteristic kindness of the Puritans became more 
widely known among the Indians who lived at a 
considerable distance from the colony. This served 
to impress them with the importance of being on 
friendly terms with the English, that they might 
receive similar favors. 

It was stated at the conunencement of our ac- 
count of Massasoit's sickness, that the colonists 
were suspicious that evil was being plotted against 
them by the Indians. Winslow's visit to the cliief 
resulted in obtaining more full and correct informa- 
tion upon tliis painful subject. The day previous to 
his arrival there", a certain sachem was with Mas- 
sasoit, endeavoring to prejudice him against the 
English, and to obtain liis consent to measures 
against them, which had been recently devised. He 
wanted the sick chief to unite with the unholy 



100 massasoit's disclosube. 

alliance wliich had been formed for their destruction. 
One of the arguments wiiich this wily sachem em- 
ployed, was that the Enghsh were not interested for 
the welfare of Massasoit ; their friendsliip was 
hypocritical. If they really respected liim, or cared 
for him, they would have visited, liim in his sickness ; 
but as they had not, it prQved that all their profes- 
sions were hollow-hearted. 

The next day, Winslow arrived as a messenger 
from the English, which disproved the false charges 
of the evil-disposed sachem. After liis recovery, 
Massasoit was impelled by a sense of gratitude to 
disclose to the English the conspiracy which had 
been formed for the purpose of extirpating both 
colonies. Through Hobbamock, he revealed that 
the Massachusetts, and the Indians of the several 
places now knoA\^i as Eastham, Cape Cod, Fal- 
mouth, Barnstable, Buzzard's Bay, Wareham, and 
Martha's Vineyard, had entered into combination for 
that object, and he had been strongly urged to join, 
but had refused to have any thing to do with the 
murderous affair. He also advised the English, as 
the 'best course they could pursue, to put to death 
the Indians of Massachusetts, who were the authors 
of this plot, and then it would be destroyed. He 
earnestly charged them to communicate fully this 
information and advice to the goverjior. 

As the Dutch sliip, which had been aground, was 



INTERVIEW WITH CORBITANT. 101 

gotten off, and had left before Winslow's arrival, 
nothing more remained for him to do. He there- 
fore departed. 

On his return, he spent the night at Swansey, 
with Corbitant, whom he says he found to be *'a 
notable politician, yet full of merry jests and squibs, 
and never better pleased than when the like are 
returned again upon liim." 

" If I were sick, as Massasoit has been," asked 
he, " and should send word to Plymouth, would 
Mr. Governor send me medicine 1 " 

"Yes." 

" Would you bring it to me ? " 

" Certainly," said Winslow. 

At tliis he was highly dehghted, and expressed 
many thanks. 

" How did you dare," said he again, " to go so 
far into the country, being but two of you ? " 

"Because, where there is true love," answered 
Winslow, " there is no fear ; and my heart is so 
upright towards the Indians, that I am not in the 
least degree fearful to go among them." 

" If you love us so much," continued the shrewd 
Indian, " how happens it that when we visit Plym- 
outh you stand upon your guard, and present the 
mouths of your guns towards us ? " 

"Because that is the most honorable reception 
9* 



102 MODE OF TEACHING. 

we can give you. It is in that way that we salute 
our most distinguished guests." 

Corbitant shook his head, as if in doubt, saying, 
" I don't hke such sakitations." 

Having noticed, that before their meals they 
asked a blessing, and afterwards returned thanks, he 
asked them why they did it. This led to a long 
conversation upon the character and works of the 
Deity ; upon the relations which men sustain to 
him as their preserver and constant benefactor, and 
the duties which they owe to him as such, with 
which he and others who were present were pleased. 
When the Ten Commandments were repeated, they 
approved of all except the seventh. They thought 
there were many objections to " tying a man to one 
woman." They wanted, as many do at the present 
day, greater liberty. 

This is a specimen of the manner in which the 
Puritans endeavored to communicate religious truths 
to the minds of these ignorant and degraded sav- 
ages. When among them, they observed religious 
services at their meals. Neither fear nor pride pre- 
vented them. They also continued the practice of 
morning and evening devotions. They strictly re- 
garded the Sabbath, and when opportunity pre- 
sented, especially by inquiries from the savages, 
they imparted, in a familiar manner, the elementary 
truths of the Bible. As they became better ac- 



INDIAN TRADITIONS. lOu 

quainted with each other, and could converse more 
easily, many such conversations as the above were 
held. The truths and scriptural facts which were 
in this way imparted to a few, would by them be 
communicated to their whole tribe, and would be 
made topics of discussion among them. It is not 
improbable, that in this manner some of the more 
prominent truths of the Bible became widely dis- 
seminated among the natives of the continent. As 
those who first learned them were scattered abroad 
by war, or pestilence, or for want of good hunting 
grounds, they ^y^^^l^' i^^ their intercourse with 
others, give them still wider diffusion. After the 
lapse of years, these truths might, especially among 
tribes at the greatest distance from the settlements, 
assume the character of traditions, and, as such, be 
handed down to their posterity. Traditions which 
now exist among some of the Indians of the remote 
West, and wliich bear a close analogy to Scripture 
liistory, may have originated in tliis manner. 

After spending the night with Corbitant, and 
having hospitable and pleasant entertainment, they 
bade him adieu, and passed on towards Middle- 
borough. Here they spent the second night. The 
next day they arrived at home. 



CHAPTER IX. 

" O Conspiracy ! 
Sham'sttliou to show thy dangerous brow by night, 
When evils are most free ? O, then, by day 
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough 
To mask thy monstrous visage ? Seek none, conspiracy j 
Hide it in smiles and affability." — Shakspeare. 

Condition of Weston's Colony. — Man drowned in digg-ing Clams. 

— Indian Policy. — The Men rob them. — Indians complain. — 
A slanderous Tradition. — Butler perpetuates it. — Its Origin. — 
Plymouth not responsible for Weymouth. — Consultation of the 
two Colonies. — Sanders goes to Maine for Provisions. — Dan- 
gers of the English. — Their Perils considered by the Court. — 
Standish sent to Weymouth to capture Indians. — His Instruc- 
tions. — Insulting Conduct of the Indians.' — Pratt's providen- 
tial Escape. — He relates the wTetched Condition of Weymouth. 

— Pratt is pursued. — His Pursuer captured as a Spy. — Stand- 
ish arrives at Weymouth. — Makes known the Conspiracy. — 
The Captain's Policy. — Indians pretend they know his Object. 

— Their Insults. -^ The boasting of Indian Braves. — The For- 
bearance of the Captain. 

The planting of Weston's colony at Weyniouth 
proved an unfortunate affair. It was composed of 
bad materials, and managed without tact, judgment, 
or prudence. The men were indolent, vicious, and 
destitute of public spirit. Their supplies were soon 
exhausted, and, by the end of February, 1623, they 
were reduced to great distress. They then degraded 
themselves to become " hewers of wood and car- 
riers of water " to the Indians, for a meal's victuals, 



AN EXECUTION. 105 

when, with ordinary industry, employed in other 
directions, they might have suppUed themselves far 
more abundantly. 

So reduced in strength had the men become, in 
consequence of the want of food, that one of them, 
who was engaged in digging clams, sunk in the 
mud ; and being unable to extricate himself, was 
overwhelmed by the rising tide, and drowned. 

The Indians knew the weakness of the Wey- 
mouthites, and, on account of the servile services 
they had received from them, they regarded them 
with contempt. To reduce them to still greater 
straits, they refused to lend or sell theto any corn, 
beans, or bread, on any terms. The men resorted 
to theft. When they found any of the hiding- 
places where the Indians concealed their grain, they 
dug it up, and appropriated it to their own use. 
The Indians complained and threatened. To ap- 
pease them, some of the criminals were whipped 
and placed in the stocks. As this neither produced 
amendment, nor pacified the natives, more severe 
measures were resorted to, and one of them was 
hung. A tradition has become current, that at this 
execution, a sick, feeble, and worthless old man, 
who' could have rendered no aid to repel an attack 
of the Indians, was substituted in the place of the 
criminal, who was a strong young man, and might 
be of great service to the colony in time of war. 



106 BASE SLANDER. 

As the execution was mainly to satisfy the Indians, 
it was argued that one person would answer as well 
for that purpose as another, so long as the savage? 
were deceived, which might easily be effected by 
dressing the innocent sick person in the clothes of 
the criminal. The Indians would then suppose that 
the guilty person was on the gallows. Unfortu 
nately, this tradition has been widely circulated, and 
rendered immortal by Butler, in the following lines 
of Hudibras : — 

" Our brethren of New England use 
Ghoice malefactors to excuse, 
And hang the guiltless in their stead, 
Of whom the churches have less need j 
As lately happened." 

It is proper that this base slander should be 
denied. We have not seen a particle of evidence 
that such a shameful transaction ever took place. 
The first writer who alludes to it mentions it sim- 
ply as a suggestion that was made at the time, but 
which was rejected. The nearest approximation to 
evidence of such an occurrence is the statement of 
Mr. Hubbard, that the person executed was really 
guilty, as were many of the others ; " yet it is pos- 
sible that justice might be executed, not on him that 
most deserved it, but on him that could best be 
spared, or who was not likely to live long, if he 



^ 



WETMOUTHITES NOT PURITANS. 107 

had been let alone." But even this language does 
not convey the idea, that after one person had been 
convicted, another one was executed in his stead ; 
but only, that of the many criminals, the most 
guilty one might not have been selected for trial and 
condemnation. Yet the one vrho was tried and 
condemned was the one who was executed, and 
whose guilt is admitted. But even if it were other- 
wise, and the unjust substitution had taken place, 
the Puritans are not to be censured. They were 
nowise connected with the affair, and seem not to 
have been informed of it until it was over, when the 
intelligence was communicated by a messenger from 
Weymouth. The two colonies were entirely inde- 
pendent of each other. The Puritans at Plymouth 
were in no sense responsible for the deeds of the 
other settlement. Butler errs in calling them " our 
bretln'en of New England." They were not Puri- 
tans. We have no evidence that they had a church, 
or that any of them were members of a church; 
and notliing that they did should be allowed to 
injure, in the least degree, the reputation of the 
Pilgrims. 

When the settlers at Weymouth found it impos- 
sible to obtain any thing from the Indians with their 
consent, they resolved to supply their wants by 
taking forcible possession of their stores. To this 
end they closed up every entrance to their town, 



108 EVIDENCE OF CONSPIRACY. 

except one, and strengthened the defences wliich 
/hey had built. Before entering upon their foraging 
expedition, which would be equivalent to a declara- 
tion of war, they consulted with the leading men at 
Plymouth. » 

They narrated the conduct of the Indians, the 
painful straits to wliich the colony was reduced, and 
the absolute necessity of their procuring supphes. 
They then disclosed their intended attack, and asked 
their opinion. After giving the matter their serious 
consideration, the Puritans expressed the opinion 
that the contemptated movement would be untimely, 
impolitic, and dangerous ; that it would be a viola- 
tion of the law of their king, and of the law of 
God ; and they presented a variety of forcible rea- 
sons to dissuade them from its execution. This 
judicious advice they resolved to comply with for 
the present. Their next measure was to send their 
overseer, Mr. John Sanders, to the coast of Maine, 
for provisions. The friends at Plymouth supplied 
liim with corn for his voyage, on which he set out 
in the latter part of February. 

After liis departure, additional evidence was dis- 
covered of the conspiracy among the Indians. It 
was more fully divulged by some of the Indians 
themselves. Dangers thickened around the Eng- 
lish. They were so few and weak, in comparison 
with the neighboring tribes, that if there had been a 



PLAN TO SUPPRESS IT. 109 

sudden, simultaneous, and courageous attack, on the 
part of the savages who had joined the plot, they 
would easily have anniliilated both settlements. 
This the English knew. They were aware, also, 
that no time was to be lost ; that whilst they were 
deliberating, the war whoop might ring in their ears, 
and their hearth fires be quenched in blood. At 
the annual meeting of the General Court, which 
soon occurred, the whole subject was submitted by 
the governor to that body. They referred it to the 
governor, his assistant, and the captain, with such 
others as they might be disposed to consult. This 
committee were empowered to devise and execute 
such measures as the exigency seemed to them to 
demand. The conclusion to which tliis committee 
came was, that Captain Standish should take as 
many men as he thought necessary for the purpose, 
and proceed to the Massachusetts, ostensibly for 
trade. After maldng Weston's colony acquainted 
with the bloody conspiracy which had been formed 
against the English, and the real object of this visit, 
Standish was then to open trade with the Indians, 
and carefully observe all their demeanor ; but he 
was to avoid, if possible, an actual collision, until 
an Indian by the name of Wituwamat was in his 
power, whom he was to kill, and then send his 
head to Plymouth. Tliis fellow was selected as a 
victim, because he was a notorious, insulting villain, 
10 



110 WITUWAMAT DOOMED. 

whose conduct had previously been extremely aggra- 
vating. He had boasted in a pompous and irritating 
manner of having shed the blood of both English 
and French, whom he derided for want of courage, 
saying that " they died crying, making sour faces, 
more like children than men." On a former occa- 
sion, when Captain Standish was at Manomet, this 
fellow endeavored to persuade Canacum, the sachem 
of that place, to destroy him, as he then had a fair 
opportunity, stating to liim that the Massachusetts, 
in order to secure their own preservation, had com- 
bined to cut off Weston's colony, but had con- 
chided to delay until they were strong enough to 
destroy Plymouth also. As he now had the cap- 
tain in his power, it was a good time to put him 
and his company out of the way. 

In consequence of liis known enmity to the colo- 
nists, and of the threats which he had used, it was 
considered important to the safety of the settlers 
that he should be slain. Hence the instructions to 
the captain to avoid an attack until Wituwamat was 
in his power. 

The captain took only eight men with liim on 
this perilous expedition. He thought that a larger 
number would excite suspicion among the Indians 
of their conspiracy being detected. Before he set 
out, a messenger by the name of Pratt arrived at 
Plymouth, from Weston's plantation, with a pack 



ABUSIVE INDIANS. HI 

on his shoulders, bringing information that the state 
of things there was worse than ever. The men 
were reduced to the extremes of poverty, having 
been obhged to sell their clothes for food, and now, 
being unable to go in pursuit of food on account of 
their nakedness, they were perishing from cold and 
famine. If at any time they obtained victuals, the 
Indians were so strong and bold that they would 
enter their houses, take it from the pot where it was 
being cooked, and in a tantalizing manner would eat 
it before their eyes. If they remonstrated, the sav- 
ages would put a knife to their breasts and threaten 
their lives. One of the colonists had abandoned his 
companions and turned savage ; the most of the 
people had forsaken the town, and made their ren- 
dezvous wherever they happened to find food. They 
had separated into three companies, very few of 
them having any powder or shot with which to pro- 
cure game or defend themselves if attacked. What 
would be the ultimate result he knew not. Being 
afraid to tarry there any longer, he had set out, al- 
though he knew not the way, to come to Plymouth 
and'ask the privilege of remaining there till affairs 
became more settled. 

Soon after this man had left the Massachusetts, at 
Weymouth, the Indians missed him, and suspecting 
that he had gone to Plymouth, they immediately 
sent a messenger in pursuit of him, probably with 



112 pratt's escape. 

orders to put him to death ; as they expressed the 
opinion he would never reach Plymouth, but would 
be devoured by wild beasts on the journey. Guided 
by a kind Providence, Pratt lost his way ; so that 
the Indian in pursuit, who took the usual route, 
missed liim, and thus his life was saved. The In- 
dian passed by Plymouth on his way to Buzzard's 
Bay. When he returned he stopped there, pretend- 
ing to make a friendly call, but in reality to observe 
their condition, and see whether they were reduced 
to the poverty and helplessness of Weston's people, 
which he hoped was the case ; the intelligence of 
which, he knew would be glad tidings to the Massa- 
chusetts. The governor immediately arrested him, 
and kept him a prisoner. He was sent to the fort 
and chained to a staple, where he was informed he 
must remain under guard until Standish returned 
from his expedition against his tribe. This must 
have been evil tidings to the poor captive spy, who 
knew that his own people were only waiting for a 
favorable opportunity to pounce upon the colony 
Uke a vulture upon its prey, and who, by liis present 
captivity, had abundant reason to believe that their 
conspiracy was detected, and would be punished. 

After Pratt's relation, Standish, with his small 
company, proceeded to Weymouth, with all speed. 
When they arrived, seeing the ship which was con- 
nected with the colony in the harbor, they went on 



STANDISH AT WEYMOUTH. 113 

board to have some consultation as to the best 
measures to be adopted with reference to the ap- 
proaching crisis. Finding no one on deck, they 
entered the cabin. No one was there ! They ex- 
amined other parts of the vessel, and to their great 
surprise found it entirely forsaken — not even one 
person left as guard. What did it mean ? Had the 
crew been slain by the Indians since Pratt left ? 
Appearances did not favor such a conclusion. No 
weajDons were about, as if left in haste ; no marks 
of blood were seen. Had they then been seized 
and taken into captivity ? To ascertain whether 
they were in the neighborhood, one of the men on 
board fired a musket. Immediately the overseer 
and several of his companions presented themselves 
upon the shore. They were there for the purpose 
of gathering ground nuts and other articles to eat. 
After salutations were exchanged, Captain Standish 
asked, — 

" How do you dare to leave your sliip, and live in 
so much security ? " 

" O," replied they, utterly insensible of their per- 
ilous condition, "we have no fear of the Indians, 
but live with them and suffer them to lodge with us, 
without our having a gun or sword, or even needing 
one." 

" Well, well," said Standish, " if you have no oc- 
casion for vigilance, so much the better. But where 
10* 



114 ADVICE OF STANDISH. 

are those whom Mr. Sanders left in charge of aflfairs 
during his absence ? " 

" They are at the plantation." Thither the cap- 
tain went. He informed them of the Indian con- 
spiracy, and that the object of his visit was to cut 
off the ringleaders. He also invited them, if they 
were so disposed, to reside at Plymouth, until tliis 
dark cloud had passed away, and they were placed 
in circumstances more favorable to their prosperity. 
But if they thought it advisable to pursue any other 
course, he would assist them to the extent of his 
ability. The men now had their eyes opened. 
They were surprised at their own previous blind- 
ness. They could call to recollection various cir- 
cumstances which had occurred in their intercourse 
with the natives, which were in keeping with the 
conspiracy. They acknowledged that it was all of 
divine mercy that they had not been slain before the 
captain's arrival. They desired that he would pro- 
ceed at once to the accomplishment of his object. 
He enjoined upon them the observance of the 
greatest secrecy, that the Inchans might not discover 
their intentions. 

He also advised them to send orders to tliat third 
of the company who were at the greatest distance 
from the plantation to return, and, on pain of death, 
to keep the town, promising to supply, from liis own 
stores, each man with a pint of corn a day. Some 



SUSPICION OF THE INDIANS. 115 

time elapsed before any active measures were 
adopted, in consequence of storms and rain. Dur- 
ing this delay, an Indian visited the plantation, 
bringing some skins, professedly to trade. In reaUty 
he was a spy, whose object it was to obtain, in a 
covert manner, what information he could respecting 
the suspicions and plans of the English. The cap- 
tain endeavored to appear perfectly friendly and un- 
suspecting, yet when the spy returned, he reported 
that he saw from the captain's eyes that there was 
anger in liis heart. The Indians, therefore, thought 
that their conspiracy was detected. But, instead of 
retreating beyond the reach of the Enghsh, until 
their arrangements with the other tribes were con- 
summated, they put on a bold front, visited the plan- 
tation frequently, and even expressed the belief to 
them that their object was to slay them. One of 
their braves, whose name was Pecksuot, a man of 
courage, but at the same time a braggadocio, went 
to Hobbamock, who was with Standish as his inter- 
preter, and told him that he had been informed that 
the captain had come to "kill himself and the rest 
of the salvages." " Tell him," said he, " we know 
it, but we neither fear liim, nor Avill we shun him ; 
let him attack us when he pleases, he shall not take 
us by surprise." These were courageous words for 
one who had reason to believe that his plots were 
discovered. He was probably emboldened by his 



116 INDIAN BOASTING. 

confidence in the success of the conspiracy. The 
Indians who had entered into the alhance were so 
numerous, and the colonists so few and feeble, that 
success seemed to them almost a certainty. Hence, 
these insuhing savages would sometimes come to the 
plantation alone, or several together, and, placing 
themselves in the presence of the captain, would 
whet their knives, sharpen their points, and make 
various gestures and speeches of an insulting nature, 
as if on purpose to irritate him to some deed of 
blood. Wituwamat was not wanting on these occa- 
sions. He boasted of the fine quahties of his knife, 
on the handle of wliich was pictured a woman's face ; 
" but," said he, " I have another at home with which 
I have killed both French and English, and that hath 
a man's face on it ; and by and by these two must 
marry." Not long after, when speaking of the knife 
he then had, he said, " By and by this shall see, and 
by and by it shall eat, but not speak ; " as if alluding 
to some intended murder which his knife would com- 
mit silently, whilst the muskets of the English always 
reported their doings. Pecksuot was a man of large 
size and great muscular strength, while Standish was 
comparatively small. On one occasion he said to 
Standish, — 

" You are a great officer, but a httle man ; and 
though I am no sachem, yet I am a courageous man, 
and possess great strength." 



READY FOR ACTION. 117 

All these things the captain endured with much 
forbearance. His determination was fixed, and his 
plans formed ; he was only waiting a suitable oppor- 
tunity for their execution. He wisely resolved that 
no insults of the savages should betray liim into pre- 
mature movements. Like the lion, with liis eye 
fixed upon liis prey, he calmly waited for a favorable 
moment of attack. It was not long before this 
arrived. 



CHAPTER X. 

" See, his face is black and full of blood ; 
His eyeballs farther out than when he lived ; 
Staring full ghastly, like a strangled man ; 
His hair upreared, his nostrils stretched with struggling ; 
His hands abroad displayed, as one that grasped 
And tugged for life, and was by strength subdued." — Shakspeare. 

A silent, but fearful Massacre. — Hobbamock compliments Stand- 
ish. — Women held Captives. — An Indian escapes. — Three 
Englishmen among- the Indians. — The Indians haste away at 
Midnight. — They meet Standish and his Men. — A Skirmish. — 
The Indians defeated. — Hobbamock's Bravery. — The Indian 
Women released uninjured. — The Puritans responsible for the 
Massacre. — Their Apology. — A young Indian's Confession. — 
Standish returns, taking an Indian's Head. — The captured Spy • 
recognizes it. — The Spy released and sent as a Messenger.— 
A Squaw brings back au Answer. — The three Englishmen 
killed. — The Terror of the Natives. — They attempt to send a 
Peace-offering to the Governor. — The Boat is wrecked. — 
Robinson's Letter. 

On the day following the conversation which we 
gave at the close of the last chapter, a combination 
of circumstances seemed to indicate to Standish 
that the favorable moment for the execution of his 
plans had arrived. Pecksuot, Wituwamat, with 
another Indian, and a young villain about eighteen 
years of age, brother to Wituwamat, who had 
played many scurrilous tricks upon the more feeble 
of the colonists, were together in one house ; there 
were also present about the same number of the 



A JFEAiUFUL MASSACRE. 119 

English, with Hobbamock. The door being made 
fast, Standish gave the signal for the dreadful work 
of death to be commenced. Each man chose his 
victim, and the fearful struggle began. Standish 
selected the insulting braggadocio, Pecksuot, and 
snatching the knife from his neck, which he had 
impudently sharpened in the captain's presence, he 
plunged it in his heart's blood ! One blow was not 
sufficient. The Indian resisted- He was wounded 
again ; he endeavored to recover ; his eyes glared ; 
he snatched violently after his knife, but failed to 
get it ; he fought with the energy of despair : the 
struggle was terrific, but brief In a few minutes, 
the boastful warrior ceased to breathe. He had 
whetted his knife for his own death. At the same 
time, similar conflicts were in progress between 
Wituwamat and an Englishman, and the other In- 
dian and a colonist. They knew that all flight was 
impossible. There was no quarter asked nor 
offered ; one of each couple must die ; one or the 
other party must be exterminated. They fought 
with desperation to the very last. There were no 
shrieks, lio cries, no war whoops ; nothing but a 
deadly struggle. Their silence rendered the contest 
more awful. A shriek would have been a relief. 
In a few minutes, all the savages were dead except 
the youth. He was reserved to be hanged. During 
all this time, Hobbamock was a silent spectator of 



120 OTHER MURDERS. 

the tragic scene. He took no part with either. 
After it was all over, he said to Standish, wliilst a 
smile played over his features, " Yesterday, Peck- 
suot, bragging of liis own strength and stature, said, 
though you were a great captain, yet you were but 
a little man ; but to-day, I see you are big enough 
to lay him on the ground." But Standish desired 
not his praise ; he was intent upon the overthrow 
of the conspirators. Some Indian women who 
were at Weymouth he committed to the custody of 
Weston's people, for safe keeping till further orders. 
He then sent a messenger to another company of 
the men, with instructions for them to kill all the 
Indians who were with them. They slew two. 
Standish and a few others went to another place, 
and killed one more. It was the captain's design to 
have kept all this concealed from the natives ; but 
his purpose was defeated, through the negligence of 
one of the men in suffering an Indian to escape, 
who immediately disclosed these massacres to the 
tribe. 

A short time previous to this tragic adventure, 
three of Weston's men had gone and offered to 
build canoes for the sachem of one of the tribes in 
the neighborhood, where they had formerly been 
well fed, when performing similar service. The 
first night of their arrival, at a late hour, a messen- 
ger came, almost breathless, perhaps the one who 



MIDNIGHT EXPEDITION. 121 

had escaped from Weymouth, who dehvered, in his 
own language, a short message. What it was, the 
Enghshmen knew not. That it was of great im- 
portance, was evident from the conduct of the 
Indians ; for no sooner was it dehvered, than a 
general excitement was produced. The Indians 
arose, hastily dressed themselves, seized their bows 
and arrows, gathered together for a few moments' 
consultation, and then, telling the English that they 
were going a hunting, and would return with plenty 
of venison, they hastily departed. 

The oldest and most experienced Englishmen 
present thought that this midnight manoeuvre au- 
gured nothing good. Viemng this conduct of the 
Indians in connection with the strict charge of 
Standish, that none of the men should leave tlie 
plantation, he feared that a collision had, or would 
soon ensue. He proposed to Ms companions to 
return. They unwisely refused. He set out, there- 
fore, alone. To avoid discovery, in case of pursuit, 
he shunned the paths, and groped his way in the 
darkness, through the unbroken fields and forests, 
by which means he successfully escaped. 

After the massacre at Weymouth, the captain 
took half of his own men, with one or two of Wes- 
ton's party and Hobbamock, and went forth to 
plunder the Indians. After marching some dis- 
tance, they met a party of the natives coming 
11 



122 A SKIRMISH. 

towards them — probably those who had left home 
so suddenly at night. Each regarded the other as 
on a belhgerent expedition. A hill being near, the 
possession of which would give advantage in the 
fight, both parties endeavored to obtain it. Stand- 
ish was successful. The Indians then ran, accord- 
ing to their usual custom, and, concealing them- 
selves behind trees, rocks, and bushes, let fly a 
shower of arrows, aimed especially at Standish and 
Hobbamock. The combativeness of Hobbamock 
was now excited. He threw off his coat, and 
dashed in among them with great bravery. The 
savages, knowing him, retreated. Hobbamock pur- 
sued. The English could not keep up with him. 
These latter, seeing the arm and half of a face of 
a notorious character in the act of drawing his 
bow at Captain Standish, two of them fired at him, 
and broke his exposed arm. The Indians retreated 
to a swamp. The captain endeavored to hold a 
parley with them. They returned insulting lan- 
guage. He then challenged the sachem to show 
himself and fight openly like a man, and not get 
behind trees, and use hard words, like a cowardly 
squaw. His challenge and ridicule were alike un- 
heeded. The sachem and his men fled, leaving the 
English victorious. The captain then returned to 
Weymouth. The Indian women who were there 
he released without any injury. He would not even 



STANDISH NO PURITAN. 123 

allow the men to take from them their beaver gar- 
ments, nor in any way to insult them. We cannot 
but admire^ his scrupulous regard for the helpless- 
ness and delicacy of the female sex. 

In order to screen the Puritans from the respon- 
sibility of this massacre of the Indians at Wey- 
mouth, it mil not do to say that Standish was not a 
member of the church, and, therefore, was no more 
of a Puritan than the men of Weston's colony ; 
that he was merely a military officer, and in this 
campaign against the enemy, was governed by ordi- 
nary military usages ; for, admitting that all this 
was true, it must not be forgotten that he had re- 
ceived special instructions from the proper authori- 
ties at Plymouth how to proceed, and had simply 
executed those instructions. He was their servant, 
and had done their bidding ; they were," therefore, 
responsible for his deeds. 

The best justification of the act must be based 
upon the perilous condition in which the English 
were then placed. They knew their own weakness ; 
they were aware of the existence of a powerful 
conspiracy against them ; they had received intelli- 
gence of the dreadful massacre by the Indians in 
Virginia. No time was to be lost. The savages 
miglit come down upon them with the suddenness 
and terribleness of an Alpine avalanche. It ap- 
peared to them essential to their safety, that they 



124 INDIAN CONFESSION. 

should take the initiative in the approaching con- 
flict; that by some bold and severe stroke, they 
should send terror among the Indians before tliey 
were generally aware of the discovery of their con- 
spiracy. In forming our opinion of the morality 
of their conduct in this trying crisis, we must have 
some regard to the sentiments which generally pre- 
vailed among Christian people at that time, respect- 
ing the lawfulness of defensive war. 

After the massacre, a young Indian, who was of a 
mild, amiable, and confiding disposition, although he 
knew of the death of his countrymen, came fear- 
lessly to the captain, professing love and good will, 
and honestly confessed that the Indians had resolved 
to murder Weston's colony so soon as ,two more 
canoes were finished, which Weston's men were 
making for them at the time of the outbreak, and 
with wliich they intended to have taken their ships. 

Weston's people were now thoroughly tired of 
the new settlement. It had proved a failure, and 
they were resolved to abandon it. Some of them 
were desirous of going to the coast of Maine, with 
the hope of finding a passage to England in some 
of the fishermen wliich resorted there. Standish 
furnished them with corn to reach the coast, which 
so reduced the little quantity he had, as to leave 
liim hardly enough to last till he could return home. 
Others of them preferred to go with him to Plym- 



WEYRIOUTH ABANDONED. 125 

outh, as they did not want to associate with those 
who were going to Maine. After the former party 
had sailed and cleared the bay, Standi sh took the 
others in his shallop and returned victoriously to 
Plymouth, where he was received with great joy. 

He did not fail to obey the command of the gov- 
ernor to bring back with him the head of one of the 
prominent conspirators. As an object of terror to 
the Indians, it was set up in a conspicuous place in 
the fort. 

The Indian who pursued Pratt, but failed of over- 
taking him, was left, it will be remembered, a pris- 
oner at Plymouth. Wlien the bloody trophy of the 
captain was shown him, he was asked if he knew 
whose head it was. He looked mournfully upon it, 
and said, "Yes; it is Wituwamat's." He also con- 
fessed the conspiracy, and said that his chief was 
urged to it by his men, among whom five were more 
urgent in pressing him into it than the others, two 
of whom, Pecksuot and Wituwamat, were slain. 
The other three were medicine men, or conjurors. 
He denied being implicated in it himself. He said 
he did not belong to their tribe, but was a stranger 
among them, and earnestly entreated the colonists 
not to put him to death. Hobbamock interceded for 
him, and gave liim a good character, though it after- 
wards appeared that he was induced so to do by the 
influence" of a bribe. 
11* 



126 A MESSAGE TO OBTAKIEST. 

The Puritans were not revengeful. The shedding 
of blood afforded them no pleasure. Hence they 
had no disposition to execute the unfortunate native 
vrho was now in their power. Having recently been 
so victorious, they could afford now to be generous. 
Besides, by sparing his life and sending him home, 
they could forward a message to his chief which 
might prevent the necessity of further bloodshed. 
He was accordingly released and brought before the 
governor, who charged him, through Hobbamock, 
the interpreter, to say to Obtakiest, the cliief of the 
Massachusetts Indians, that the Puritans would not 
have attacked them if they had not been compelled 
to by their own treachery, and therefore the conspir- 
ators were to blame ; that if he entered into another 
similar plot, they would drive him from his country, 
and utterly extirpate his tribe ; of thfs he was now 
fairly warned ; and also that he must send back the 
three Englishmen he had, and not slay them ; that 
he must not injure what is left of the plantation at 
Weymouth ; and that this messenger must come back 
with the English, or with an answer, or with both, 
and they would guaranty him a safe return. They 
then gave him his liberty. For a long time nothing 
was heard from the chief in reply to this message, 
nor from the captive English. Finally, an Indian 
woman entered Plymouth, and informed them that 
Obtakiest had received the message, but that it came 



THE REPLY. 127 

too late to save the lives of the Englisn ; he ex- 
pressed great regret on tliis account, as he would have 
sent them back if they had been living. She also 
said, that he desired reconcihation with the Enghsh, 
but that his men were too fearful to come to Plym- 
outh to negotiate a treaty ; and that Obtakiest him- 
self was so apprehensive of a sudden attack of the 
Enghsh, that he had no certain dwelling-place, but 
changed liis encampment daily to avoid discovery. 

Tliis sudden and successful attack of Standish 
struck such terror into the Indians, as completely to 
arrest the execution of their conspiracy. So panic- 
stricken were they, that they abandoned their own 
dwellings and fled liither and thither, in woods, 
swamps, and other unfrequented places, as if they 
thought the whole English colony were in close pur- 
suit. By their exposures during these flights, they 
caught various diseases, of which many of them died, 
among whom were Canacum, Aspinet and lanough, 
the sachems of Buzzard's Bay, Eastham, and Barn- 
stable. They had not courage even to plant their 
usual amount of corn, on w^iich they were greatly 
dependent for food. At last the natives of one place 
ventured to man a small boat, and load it with 
presents, as a kind of peace-offering to the governor. 
On its voyage to the colony it was wrecked, and 
three of the men were lost. The only one who 
escaped did not dare to proceed to Plymouth, but 
returned. It is not unlkely that this catastrophe 



128 Robinson's letter. 

was interpreted by the Indians as unfavorable to 
themselves ; for lanoiigh had given out that the 
God of the English was angry with the Indians, and 
was determined to destroy them. It would have 
been, therefore, very natural for them, under the in- 
fluence of their superstitious fears, to have construed 
this disaster into an illustration of the truth of 
lanough's prediction. 

The Puritans kept their friends in England in- 
formed as fully as they could of the history of the 
colony. The conspiracy and its suppression, being 
important events, had a prominent place in their 
correspondence. When Mr. Robinson, their pastor 
at Ley den, who had commended them to God in 
earnest prayer, at the time of their departure from 
Delf Haven, heard of the slaughter of the Indians, 
liis benevolent heart was painfully affected. He 
wrote a letter to the church at Plymouth, in which 
he exhorted them to consider the disposition of their 
captain, who was of a warm temper. " He hoped 
that the Lord had sent him among them for good, if 
they used him right," but at the same time expressed 
the fear that he may be wanting " in that tenderness 
of the life of man, made after God's image, which 
was meet.'' The overflowing benevolence of his 
soul burst forth in that memorable passage : " O, 
how happy a thing had it been, that you had con- 
verted some before you killed any ! " 



CHAPTER XI. 

" With humble prayer and fasting, 

In every strait and grief, 

They sought the Everlasting, 

And found a sure relief. 
Their covenant-God o'ershadovved them, 

Their shield from every foe. 
And gave them here a dwelling-place 
Two hundred years ago." — Rev. Dr. Flint. 

The Conspiracy checked. — Arrival of a Blacksmith in dis^ise. — 
Who he is. — He hears unwelcome News. — He sails for Wey- 
mouth. — Is cast away and robbed. — Kindness of the Puritans. 
^- Repaid with Ingratitude. — The Puritans without a Charter. — 
The Advantage of it. — Their first Patent. — The Ambition of 
John Pierce. — Is disappointed. — Arrival of more Immigrants 
and Stores. — The Distress of the Colony. — Admiral West. — 
Cannot subdue the Fishermen. — Community of Goods aban- 
doned. — Self- Dependence. — Its Results. — The five Kernels of 
Corn. — No Bread ! ■ — Patience of the Sufferers. — Long Drought. 
— Day of Fasting and Prayer. — Refreshing Showers. — Effect 
upon the Natives. 

So successful were the jiieasures of Standish at 
Weymouth in intimidatmg the Indians, that no other 
attempt was made against the Plymouth colony for 
half a century. During this long period of quiet, 
the little settlement at Plymouth attained to some 
degree of maturity. 

A short time after the return of Standish, and the 
abandonment of the plantation at Weymouth, a fish- 
ing vessel entered the harbor of Plymouth. A boat 



130 A PSEUDO-BLACKSMITH. 

put off to the shore, bringing' an EngUshman, who 
pretended to be a blacksmith. He went among the 
colonists, inquiring about work, but at the same time 
asking many questions respecting the history and 
prospects ofy^Weston's colony. He was informed of 
the conspiracy, of the massacre, and of the total 
abandonment of the place. This stranger was 
Weston himself in disguise ! The intelhgeuce he 
received fell upon his ear like the death-knell of his 
high hopes. The experiment of that plantation hav- 
ing involved a heavy expenditure, he was anxious to 
see if something had not been gained. At any rate, 
he wished to know the worst. He therefore took a 
shallop with two or three men, and set out to visit it. 
A heavy storm arose, which drove him from liis 
course towards the Merrimac, where he was wrecked, 
and with difficulty escaped with his life. To com- 
plete his misfortunes, he was soon discovered by the 
Indians, who robbed him of all he had saved from 
the shallop, and stripped |iim of his clothes, even to , 
his shirt. In this distressed condition he managed 
to reach Portsmouth, where he borrowed some 
clothes, returned to Plymouth, and entreated the 
Puritans to loan him some beaver. Although the 
colony was reduced to great straits, yet, in view of 
his greater wretchedness, it was concluded to lend 
liim a hundred and seventy pounds of beaver. In 
this transaction the Puritans exhibited great kindness. 



WESTON'S CHARACTER. 131 

They -svere under no obligations to Weston. He 
had conferred upon them no favors. Tl]ough he 
was formerly interested in the Plymouth settlement, 
yet from personal considerations he abandoned it, 
and commenced one on his own account. The bad 
conduct of his settlers were, in all probability, the 
occasion of the Indian conspiracy and the massacre. 
They were extremely undesirable neighbors. Al- 
though they received nothing but good from the Pu- 
ritans, in return they ridiculed and slandered them. 
Weston, therefore, had no claims upon Plymouth. 
The conduct of the Puritans in loaning him this 
beaver was unmerited kindness. This will be the 
more apparent, when it is remembered, that he could 
give them no security. • 

Witli this borrowed capital Weston commenced 
his fortunes anew ; yet such was his dishonesty and 
ingratitude, that he not only failed to pay for the 
beaver, but, instead thereof, he maligned and opposed 
the Puritans on every occasion. We cannot deem 
it any other than a fortunate circumstance, that his 
colony was broken up so early. With such a man 
at its head, and such characters for its materials as 
Ms colonists were, nothing could have been expected 
from its continuance but a series of internal dissen- 
sions among themselves, and of external troubles 
with the Indians. 

When the Puritans left England in 1620, they 



132 THE COLONY UNCHARTERED. 

sailed under the protection of the Virginia company, 
with the intention of settUng in Virginia, some>- 
where in the vicinity of Hudson's River. At that 
time, the territory of Virginia extended to the forty- 
fifth degree of north latitude, to Passamaquoddy 
Bay ; but their patent having been taken out in the 
name of an individual, Mr. John Wincob, who did 
not accompany them, never rendered them any ser- 
vice. This appears like a misfortune ; but, in 
reality, it was a blessing. Even if they could have 
made use of their patent, it was not what they 
wanted. It was essentially defective, inasmuch as it 
did not grant them what they desired above all 
things else — liberty of conscience ; so that when 
they landed at Plymouth, they were unchartered, 
unpatented. They were in the wilderness, unfet- 
tered by any royal limits or " company " restric- 
tions. Contrary to the design of the Virginia com- 
pany, yea, contrary to their own intentions, they 
found themselves in a new world, three thousand 
miles from home, in the foil enjoyment of liberty 
of conscience. God, in liis kind providence, had 
given them that which the Idng, in his bigotry, 
would have withheld. In answer to their prayers, 
yet contrary to their hopes, the storms of Heaven 
had driven them into a harbor of freedom. 

The first patent taken out for Plymouth was in 
the name of John Pierce, as trustee. This gentle- 



TIMELY ARRIVAL. 133 

man, seeing the prospective growth of the colony, 
had his ambition and covetousness so greatly ex- 
cited, that he procured another patent for his own 
use, by means of which he intended to have held 
the colonists as his tenants, and to have compelled 
them "to sue in his courts as cliief lord." But 
Providence was against him. He made two at- 
tempts to reach this country, from England, with a 
company of emigrants, and both times was driven 
back by disastrous storms. Being thwarted in his 
project by heavy losses, and other misfortunes, he 
was glad to sell to the Puritans, for five hundred 
pounds, his patent which had cost him but fifty. 

The emigrants who had been driven back with 
Pierce came over in another vessel, called the Ann. 
Slie was soon followed by the Little James, who 
brought sixty passengers, and a quantity of supplies 
for the colony. These stores were very acceptable, 
as those of the Puritans were nearly gone. To so 
low a condition were they brought, that they had 
nothing better to extend to their newly • arrived 
guests than lobsters and cold water. The impor- 
tance of these stores may be inferr-ed from the fact 
that a day was set apart for special thanksgiving 
and praise on account of this arrival. 

In the month of June, 1623, one of the vessels in 
which Pierce had made one of his unsuccessful at- 
tempts to cross the Atlantic, arrived at Plymouth. 
12 



134 COMMUNITY OF GOODS. 

She was commanded by Captain Francis West, who 
had received the appointment of Admiral of New 
England, and had been commissioned to prevent all 
vessels from trading or fishing on the coast, without 
a license from the New England Council. But the 
fishermen being too independent and strong for 
him, he could not execute his commission. He 
gave it up as a hopeless undertaking, and sailed for 
Southern Virginia. To prevent any similar annoy- 
ance in future, the fishermen presented a petition to 
Parliament, who passed an order that fishing should 
be free. 

Until this time, there had been a community of 
interest among the colonists. Each man raised 
what he chose, and threw it into a common stock, 
from which the overseers supplied to each family, 
according to their number. Land was not owned 
by individuals. It was all common. Each man 
cultivated what he pleased, and gave the products to 
the general store. This experiment of a commu- 
nity of goods, like many others which have been 
tried since, did not work well. As no wages could 
be given to any one for their labors in the field, and 
as those who were disposed to be idle were sure of 
their proportion of supplies, whether they worked 
or not, it was decided to abandon the system, and 
make every family support themselves. Accord- 
ingly, at a general meeting held in April of this 



* Webster's address. 135 

year, (1623,) a certain portion of land was assigned 
to every man, by lot, for cultivation. All were, 
therefore, thrown upon their own labors for the 
fruits of the earth. Exceptions were made only in 
the case of public officers and of fishermen, who, 
being engaged for the welfare of the colony in other 
directions, were considered worthy of a share of the 
products of the soil, though they assisted not in 
raising them. Immediately after the allotment of 
the land, the men began to cultivate ; yea, so great 
was the interest which had been excited by the new 
system, that women and children entered the fields, 
and labored so effectively, that a much larger quan- 
tity of corn was planted than was expected. This 
being over, they were again reduced to want. 
Their provisions were entirely consumed. A sim- 
ple, affecting, yet very appropriate memorial of their 
condition at that time, was presented at the centen- 
nial celebration of their landing, which was ob- 
served December 22, 1820, at Plymouth. After an 
address from Hon. Daniel Webster, which occupied 
two hours in its delivery, and which was " correct 
in its historical statements, powerful in argument, 
rich in description, and pathetic and eloquent in 
action," a procession Avas formed, which marched to 
the new court-house, escorted by the Standish 
Guards, under the command of Captain Weston. 
As they entered, to the sound of spirit-stirring music, 



136 THE FIVE KERNELS OF CORN. 

the elegantly decorated liall, and passed down the 
long rows of tables, richly ladened with the luxuries 
of the sea and land, live kernels of parched corn 
were observed upon every plate. They attracted 
attention. Some smiled as they passed along, at 
what they regarded as an odd conceit. Others, 
who Avere better acquainted with the Yankee char- 
acter, and with their fondness for significant notions, 
knew that these silent symbols were eloquent with 
some hidden meaning, whilst others, still, who per- 
ceived in a moment their design and their beautiful 
appropriateness to the occasion, gazed at them with 
a throbbing heart, and with tearful eyes. These 
five, mysterious kernels of corn were memorials of 
that affecting incident, when, in 1623, the colony 
were reduced to a pint of corn, which, when di- 
vided among the settlers, gave them five grains 
each ! When this was understood at the table, it 
produced thrilhng emotionsi Those five grains of 
corn on each plate were full of the farina of thought 
and feeling. Some ate them with greater interest 
than the most costly luxuries before them ; others 
carefully carried them away as mementoes of that 
occasion, and of the important event which was 
commemorated. It would not be surprising if some 
of those identical kernels are still sacredly treasured 
in the families of some who were present on that 
occasion. (See plate, p. 140.) 



PURITAN PATIENCE. 137 

This tradition of the five kernels of corn, though 
it exliibits an aftecting state of things, does not con- 
vey the worst of their condition. When these were 
gone, they had no corn ! Other grain being out of 
the question, they of course had no bread ! They 
were obhged to depend upon fish, clams, and oys- 
ters ; occasionally, they would get a deer, which 
would be divided among the colony. In this man- 
ner was their good Elder Brewster supported for 
months together ; yet he and his family, instead of 
repining at their hard lot, would sit down to their 
monotonous fare, giving thanks that they could 
<' suck of the abundance of the seas, and of the 
treasures hid in the sand." This, we have reason 
to believe, was the disposition of the settlers gen- 
erally ; for Bradford, who was governor at that 
period, says, " By the time our corn is planted, our 
victuals are spent, not knowing at night where to 
have a bit in the morning, and have neither bread 
nor corn for three or four months together, 
yet bear our wants with cheerfulness, and rest on 
Providence." 

The unusually large quantity of corn which was 
planted, awakened hopes that in the following 
season they would have an abundant supply. But 
their hopes appeared doomed to be blasted. The 
cisterns in the skies were sealed up ; the clouds 
withheld rain. The sun poured down its rays in 
12* 



138 LONG DROUGHT. 

the fulness of its strength. The earth turned to 
clods and dust. The leaves of the trees curled and 
withered. The grass was burnt up. Springs were 
exhausted, and brooks and ponds dried. For the 
long period of six weeks did the heavens withhold 
their showers. Their corn came up, but soon 
wilted ; both blade and stalk hung down, changed 
color, and apparently died. Their beans " stood 
at a stay," dried up, turned yellow, and presented 
the appearance of having been scorched. Their 
hopes were overthrown ; their joy turned to sorrow. 
Painful forebodings for the future filled their hearts. 
As an additional ingredient in their cup of woe, 
they heard that, many months before, supplies had 
been sent them from England ; but the vessel which 
was bringing them was twice driven back, and was 
finally heard from, three hundred leagues at sea. 
As that intelHgence was received three months be- 
fore, as the vessel had not arrived, and as pieces of 
a wreck were found upon the coast, which they con- 
cluded were hers, they gave her up as lost. Their 
present and prospective trials were so great, that 
some began to be discouraged. They regarded 
these afflictions as indications of the displeasure of 
God against them. They were led to personal self- 
examination and prayer. In addition to these pri- 
vate religious exercises, a day of public humiliation, 
fasting, and prayer was appointed by the govern- 



PRAYER FOR RAIN. 139 

ment. It was universally observed. The people 
assembled together with one accord. They ab- 
stained from food, confessed their sins, and offered 
fervent prayers, that if it were consistent with the 
will and the glory of God, he would send down 
upon them the rain and the dews of heaven, to 
refresh the thirsty earth, and revive the withering, 
dying plants. The day was kept with marked 
solemnity and earnestness. Their religious exer- 
cises continued through eight or nine hours. In the 
morning, the sky was as cloudless and unpromising, 
and the drought as likely to continue, as ever ; but 
before the close of the meeting, " the weather," 
says Winslow in his relation, " was overcast, the 
clouds gathered together on all sides, and on the 
next morning, distilled such soft, sweet, and mod- 
erate showers of rain, continuing some fourteen 
days, and mixed with such seasonable weather, as it 
was hard to say whether our withered corn or 
drooping affections were most quickened or revived ; 
such was the bounty and goodness of our God." 

Hobbamock, who was then at Plymouth, seeing 
the people on their way to meeting, said it was but 
three days since Sunday. He wanted to understand 
the matter ; he therefore asked a boy who was near 
him, " What are the people going to meeting for 1 " 
" To pray that God would give us rain." Hobba- 
mock then informed the Indians that the Puritans 



140 



EFFECT UPON THE NATIVES. 



were assembled together to worship their God, and 
pray to him to send down rain. No doubt those 
untaught, yet thoughtful savages watched with some 
degree of curiosity the result. When, therefore, 
they saw the clouds darken the heavens, and pour 
down such gentle, yet abundant showers, they ad- 
mired the goodness which produced such dehghtful 
changes in so short a time. They were convinced 
that the Enghsh were under the protection of a 
great and good Being, who heard their prayers, 
and granted their requests. 




The Five Kernels of Corn. 



CHAPTER XII. 

" I, under fair pretence of friendly ends, 
And well-placed words of glossy courtesy, 
Baited witii reason not unplausible. 
Wind me into the easy-hearted man, 
And hug him into snares." — Milton. 

John Lyforcl. — His Obsequiousness. — His Connection with John 
Oldham. — Governor Bradford takes Copies of their Letters. — 
Oldham rebels. — Lyford sets up a Meeting-. — Their Trial. — 
The Governor's Address. — Both found guilty. — Oldham ban- 
ished. — Lyford's Confession and deep Sorrow. — Repeats his 
Offence. — Oldham returns. — His abusive Conduct. > — Sentenced 
to run the Gantlet. — He reforms. — Is killed by the Indians. — 
Timely Abundance. — Trade with the Kennebec. — A Return 
Ship captured. — Escape of Standish from Slavery. — Death of 
John Robinson. — His Character. — Death of Robert Cushman. . 
^He preached the first Sermon in New England. — Its Charac- 
ter. — Extracts. 



The merchant adventurers in England, who had 
furnished the Puritans pecuniary assistance in their 
expedition to America, did not find it a very profita- 
ble speculation. Some of them were dissatisfied, 
and were ready to believe all the calumnies which 
the enemies of the colonists brought against them. 
There were not wanting men to originate the most 
false and hbellous charges. Among these none 
were more prominent than John Lyford, an Episco- 
palian clergyman. He came over mth Winslow, 



142 lyford's hypocrisy. 

who had been sent to England as an agent of tlie 
colony. Upon his first arrival, Lyford hypocritically 
pretended to be a strong friend of the Puritans. He 
treated them with great reverence, " bowing and 
cringing " to them in a very obsequious manner, so 
much so that Governor Bradford was duped by him, 
and even invited him to his councils, in connection 
with Elder Brewster and others. He expressed a 
desire to be admitted to their church. After pro- 
fessing his belief in their doctrines and a reformation 
from all his sinful habits, he was received. It was 
not long before he contracted an intimacy with Joliii 
Oldham, a man of turbulent and factious spirit, with 
whom he fomented discontents among the people. 
He was known to be very busy in preparing letters 
to send to England, when the vessel which brought 
him over should return. He, very foolishly for him- 
self, made known the purport of his letters, and it 
was boasted among his friends that they would effect 
a complete overturn in the colony. The governor, 
fearing that tlije influence of his letters would be in- 
jurious to the interests of the colony, deemed it his 
duty to intercept them. After the vessel had set sail, 
he followed her in a small boat, and succeeded in 
overtaking her. He went on board and informed 
the captain of what he knew and what he feared. 
The captain, being a friend of the colony, permitted 
liim to open the letters, both of Lyford and Oldham. 



INTERCEPTED LETTERS. 143 

They were found to be filled Avith misrepresentations 
and malicious slanders against the church and the 
government. The design of the authors evidently 
was to procure the establislmient of a new order of 
things, by means of which they hoped to ride into 
power. If these letters had been believed and 
heeded in England, the effects upon the colony 
would probably have been disastrous. The governor 
copied some, and kept the originals of others of these 
letters, sending copies of these latter to England. 
Some of this correspondence contained extracts from 
letters to the Puritans, wliich extracts Lyford ob- 
tained by unsealing the letters and taking copies 
when they were on board the vessel at Gravesend, 
England. This was done to increase the prejudice 
against them at home. When the governor returned, 
he made no disclosure of the discovery, but kept a 
more vigilant eye upon the two spies. The rogues, 
under the impression that their letters were on their 
way, unmolested, to England, and would react in 
their favor, became daily more emboldened, until 
Oldham rebelled against the constituted authorities, 
and stubbornly refused to take his regular turn in 
performing military duty and standing guard. Not 
satisfied with this, he rose against the captain with a 
deadly weapon, and violently opposed all who at- 
tempted to quiet him. He was tried, convicted, and 
sentenced to imprisonment. Upon his confession 
and promise of amendment, he was released. 



144 LYTORD SETS UP A MEETING. 

Lyford developed his opposition in a more pro 
fessional way. Without consultation with the gov 
ernor, and mthout obtaining permission from either 
the church or the elder, he had the audacity to com- 
mence a meeting of his own on Lord's day, and 
with a few of liis coadjutors to attenT[5t the adminis- 
tration of the sacrament, by virtue of his episcopal 
ordination. This the Puritans coidd not permit. In 
the judgment of the governor, the time had now ar- 
rived when justice to the criminals, as well as the 
interests of the colony, demanded an open trial, with 
the exposure of their hbellous correspondence. Ac- 
cordingly, he called the whole colony together, and 
presented his complaints against the two offenders. 
They boldly denied the truth of the charges, and 
called for proof. Bradford now arose and gave an 
address of considerable length. 

He stated that, as the Puritans were gi'eatly op- 
pressed and persecuted for their religious opinions in 
their own country, they had come to this land, that 
here they might enjoy their own views of truth and 
duty without molestation. He enlarged upon the 
painful labors and sufferings which this emigration 
had involved. He addressed Lyford, remmding him 
that though he had not shared in the early trials and 
expenditures of the colonists, yet when he and his 
family came over, they were received by the Puri- 
tans with great kindness, and freely supported, 



THE TRIAL,. 145 

though it involved great expense ; and now for 
liim to plot the ruin of the colony, was an act of 
great " perfidy and ingratitude." Lyford persisted 
in his denial, and with great hypocrisy expressed 
astonishment at the charges, and said he did not un- 
derstand the language which had been addressed to 
him. The governor now " put in " the letters as 
evidence. Lyford was confounded : Oldham was 
enraged, and added to the evidence against himself 
by calling upon his accomplices to be courageous, 
and take an open starfd in the rebellion, and he 
would sustain tliem. But no one dared to show 
themselves upon his side. All feared the conse- 
quences, and kept aloof The governor now con- 
tinued his address to Lyford. He reminded him of 
his treachery in brealung the seals of private letters, 
and surreptitiously taking copies ; of liis humble 
confession when received into the church; of his 
promise not to perform the functions of a minister 
until he had another call to the sacred office, and 
yet, in open violation of this promise, he had as- 
sumed the clerical profession, drawn aside a small 
chque, and had attempted to officiate at the Lord's 
table ! 

Lyford's only defence was, that many persons 

in the colony had complained to him of various 

abuses which were practised. He gave their names : 

they were called upon to testify ; but in so doing, 

13 



146 THE CONVICTIONS. 

they denied his assertions. With overwhelming 
evidence against him, and his own witnesses proving 
him a Har, he saw there was no hope of an acquit- 
tal. He burst into a flood of tears, confessed that 
his letters against them were false and malicious ; 
said that he was a reprobate, and feared that liis 
sins were too great to be forgiven. Both of them 
were found guilty, and sentenced to be expelled 
from the colony. Oldham was sent off at once. 
He was a pestilent fellow, and it was a great relief 
to the settlers to be freed from him. His wife and 
family were permitted to remain until they could be 
comfortably removed. The execution of Lyford's 
sentence was postponed for six months. It was the 
governor's intention to pardon him, in case liis re- 
pentance proved sincere. Lyford made the most of 
this respite. His confessions were full and appa- 
rently penitent. He acknowledged that in his 
slanderous charges against the church and the gov- 
ernment, he was influenced by unholy pride, am- 
bition, and selfishness ; and so great was his vileness, 
that if God should send him forth as a vagabond 
and fugitive upon the earth, it would be no more 
than he deserved. Such apparently sincere and 
hearty repentance could not be overlooked. Some 
were so solicitous in his behalf, that they were will- 
ing to intercede for liis pardon on their knees. It 
seemed too cruel to exile such a tearful penitent. 



OLDHAM REFORMS. X47 

Yet before one half of the time of his respite had 
elapsed, he was detected in a repetition of the offence. 
He actually wrote another libellous communication 
to his accompUces in England ; but the bearer of 
it delivered it to the governor. Lyford now left 
the colony, and went to Cape Ann, where he had 
been invited as a minister. He afterwards died in 
Virginia. 

When Oldham left Plymouth, he went to Nan- 
tasket. Notwithstanding his sentence prohibited his 
return without the permit of the governor, he came 
back the next march, at the time of the annual 
election. His conduct was so abusive and Idwless, 
that his old acquaintances would not associate with 
him. He was arrested a second time, and sentenced 
to undergo the humiliating punishment of the gant- 
let. Two rows of armed soldiers were drawn up, 
and he was compelled to pass down the lines be- 
tween them : as he passed each man gave him a blow 
with the but of his musket, and at the same time 
said, " Go and mend your manners." After this, 
Oldham became a trader at Nantasket. On a voy- 
age to Virginia he was overtaken by a storm, and 
being in great peril, was frightened ; made confes- 
sion of his evil deeds, and promised God, that if 
his life were preserved, he would mend his ways. 
After this he so far reformed that the colonists 
at Plymouth permitted him to visit them when- 



148 ABUNDANT CROPS. 

ever he chose. He was finally killed in a quarrel 
with some Indians. 

The company of merchant adventurers who had 
assisted the Puritans, being disappointed in their ex- 
pectations of profit, and involved in pecuniary em- 
barrassments, dissolved, and threw the colonists to a 
greater extent than ever upon themselves. This was 
in 1625. A kind Providence so ordered it that, just 
at the time when they were abandoned by the ad- 
venturers at home, their crops proved unusually 
abundant. They not only had corn enough for their 
own use, but a surplus for traffic. They desired to 
send some of it to Kennebec. But how could they 
get it there ? They had no horses or other beasts of 
burden, and, therefore, could not take it by land. 
All their shipping amounted to only two small shal- 
lops, wliich, in their present condition, would not 
answer the purpose. After some consultation they 
built a deck over one of the shallops, and loaded it 
with corn. As there were no sailors in the colony, 
the shallop was manned by Mr. Winslow and some 
of the most experienced men. They set out upon 
this " commercial " enterprise late in the fall. It 
proved successful. They made a profitable ex- 
change with their corn, and brought back seven 
hundred pounds of beaver, besides other peltries. 
Not the least advantage gained on that occasion was 
the finding of a market for future trade. 



Robinson's death. 149 

The same year Capt. Standisli bad a narrow es- 
cape from slavery. Two sliips, which had come 
from the adventurers on a tradmg voyage, were 
about to return with a cargo of fish and furs. It 
being necessary that Standish should go to London 
as agent for the colony, he embarked in one of these 
vessels. The larger ship took the smaller one in 
tow, until they arrived at the English channel. Here 
it was cast off, and before it could reach London it 
was overtaken by a Turkish man-of-war, captured, 
and taken to Salee, in the kingdom of Fez, where 
the captain and crew were reduced to slavery. If 
Standish had been on board, that would have been 
his fate ; but, fortunately, he was in the larger vessel, 
and so escaped. When he returned to Plymouth 
the next year, he brought back the intelligence of 
the death of their pastor, the venerable and beloved 
John Robinson. This was a painful blow to the 
colony. Robinson had been their pastor for many 
years. When persecution raged too violently for 
them in their own country, where they were sub- 
jected to imprisonments and other penalties on ac- 
count of their religious views, he fled with them to 
Leyden, in Holland, and shared in their trials whilst 
residents among a people whose language they un- 
derstood not, and where they found great difficulty 
in obtaining a support. When their emigration to 
America was resolved on, Robinson heartily favored 
13* 



150 ROBINSON'S COUNSELS. 

it. Lest any might waver in the determination 
which they had formed, he preached a sermon to 
encourage in them a firmness of purpose to remove. 
At a later period in the same year, a day of special 
fasting and prayer was appointed, when he preached 
to them again from that very apposite passage re- 
corded in Ezra viii. 21 : "I proclaimed a fast at 
the river Aliava, that we might afflict ourselves before 
God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our 
little ones, and for all our substance." The sermon 
was fraught with judicious and timely advice. It 
breathed a spirit of Christian liberality which con- 
trasted widely with the prevailing bigotry of the 
times. It expressed the conviction that even they 
had not arrived at a discovery of the whole mind of 
God, as revealed in the Scriptures, and, therefore, 
they ought to expect the unfolding of new truths, 
which he exhorted them to be ever ready to receive. 
He cautioned them against following liim any farther 
than his conduct was in accordance with the example 
of the Savior. " Brethren, " said he, " we are now 
quickly to part from one another, and whether I 
may ever live to see your face on earth any more, 
the God of heaven only knows ; but whether the 
Lord hath appointed that or not, I charge you be- 
fore God and his blessed angels, that you follow me 
no farther than you have seen me follow the Lord 
Jesus Christ. If God reveal any thing to you, by 



Robinson's character. 151 

any other instrument of his, be as ready to receive 
it as ever you were to receive any truth by my min- 
istry : for I am fully persuaded, I am very confi- 
dent, that the Lord has more truth yet to break 
forth out of his holy word. For my part, I cannot 
sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed 
churches, who are come to a period in rehgion, and 
will go at present no farther than the instruments 
of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be 
drawn to go beyond what Luther saw. Whatever 
part of his will our good God has revealed to Cal- 
vin, they will rather die than embrace it ; and the 
Calvinists, you see, stick fast where^ they were left 
by that great man of God, who yet saw not all 
tilings." Robinson was a man of " good genius, 
quick penetration, ready wit, great modesty, integ- 
rity, and candor." With a good classical education, 
strong powers of argument, and an aptness to de- 
tect and expose the weak points of his opponents, 
he was acknowledged to be a formidable disputant. 
In liis personal intercourse he was easy, gentle- 
manly, and obliging. As a preacher, he was im- 
pressive and edifying. He increased in blandness 
of manners as he advanced in years. He was par- 
ticularly distinguished as a peacemaker, and was 
the means, in a number of instances, of effecting a 
reconciliation between those who were at variance 
with each other. His death was greatly lamented 
by both branches of the church. 



152 FIRST SERMON IN NEW ENGLAND. 

In addition to the decease of Robinson, Captain 
Standish also brought intelhgence of the death of 
Mr. Robert Cusliman, a gentleman who had been 
deeply interested in the welfare of the colony from 
the first. He embarked, as has already been stated, 
with the first company that left England for Plym- 
outh ; but when the Speedwell was abandoned, and 
all could not be accommodated in the Mayflower, 
he was among the number who were left behind. 
He came out afterwards in the Fortune. It is a 
singular circumstance that he, being a layman, 
preached the first sermon ever delivered in New 
England. It was on the " Sin and Danger of Self- 
love," from the text, " Let no man seek his own, 
but every man another's wealth." It was printed in 
London, anonymously, in 1622, and has passed 
through several editions in this country. Tradition 
has fixed the spot where it was delivered, at the 
house of the plantation, on the south side of Ley- 
den Street. The plan of the sermon was as fol- 
lows : " The parts of this text are two. 1. A de- 
hortation. 2. An exhortation. The dehortation : 
Let no man seek his own. The exhortation : But 
every man another's wealth. In handling of which, 
I will first open the words ; secondly, gather the 
doctrine ; thirdly, illustrate the doctrine by Scrip- 
tures, experience, and reason ; fourthly, apply the 
game to every one his portion." It was a dis- 



'' AN EXTRACT. 153 

course of marked peculiarities, abounding with good 
thoughts, quaintly expressed, according to the fash- 
ion of the times. We give one extract as a speci- 
men. " The difference between a temperate, good 
man and a belly-god is tliis : A good man will not 
eat his morsels alone, especially if he have better 
than others ; but if by God's providence he have 
gotten some meat which is better than ordinary, and 
better than liis other brethren, he can have no rest 
in liimself, except he make others partake with him. 
But a belly-god will slop all in liis own throat, yea, 
though liis neighbor come in and behold him eat ; 
yet this gripple-gut shameth not to swallow all." 
He was sent twice to England, as agent of the 
colony, and managed their business with great 
discretion. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

«I venerate the man vvliose heart is warm, 
Whose hands are pure, whose doctrine and whose life, 
Coinci.leut; exhibit hicid proof 
That he is honest in the sacred cause." — Cowper. 

A Pinnace built. — Mcsscng-ers from the Dutch. — Reception of 
De Razier. — Trade with him. — Wampum. — The Colony with- 
out a Pastor. — Original Agreement respecting their old Pastor. 

— A Minister found at Nanlasket. — He becomes the Plymouth 
Pastor. — His Character. — Roger Williams. — His Troubles at 
Salem. — Goes to Plymouth as an Assistant. — Returns to Sa- 
lem. — He cultivates Acquaintance with the Natives. — John 
Billinglon. ■ — Commits Murder. — Is tried and executed. — The 
Tendency of Sin. — A Shipwreck. — Kindness of the Indians, 

— Difficulties adjusted. — Governor Winthrop's Visit to Plym- 
outh. — Singular Puritan Custom. — Discussion about the Use 
of << Goodman Such-a-one." — Hue's Cross. 

In order to carry on a trade with their southern 
neighbors, the colonists, in 1627, built a small pin- 
nace at Buzzard's Bay. By transporting their mer- 
chandise overland from Plymouth to that point, a 
distance of only a few miles, they avoided a com- 
paratively long and dangerous voyage round Cape 
Cod. They accomplished, in this manner, two 
objects ; they escaped danger, and saved time. A 
similar method of conveyance was resorted to in 
1812, at the time of our last war with Great Britain, 
in order to escape the enemy who were cruising 
about the Cape. 



DUTCH MESSENGERS. 



155 



In 1627, letters and messengers from the Dutch 
settlements en the Hudson River arrived at Plym- 
outh, conveying friendly congratulations, and pro- 
posing commercial intercourse. They were cor- 
dially received, and their sentiments of friendship 
met with a hearty response. In September of the 
same year, Isaac De Razier, who had signed the 
above letters as secretary, came himself to Buzzard's 
Bay. From thence, he sent a request to Governor 
Bradford for a boat to bring him to Plymouth. The 
boat was soon got in order and sent, and the hon- 
orable secretary was brought to Plymouth, with the 
music of trumpeters, in genuine Dutch style. His 
arrival was quite an exciting event in the little 
town, and furnished the Puritans with new topics of 
conversation. He and his company were hospitably 
entertained for several days. When he returned, a 
number of the colony accompanied him as far as 
Buzzard's Bay. As he had brought with him sugar, 
linen, and other articles which they needed, they 
made a number of purchases, which were mutually 
advantageous, and then, with reciprocal expressions 
of respect, they parted. The way being once 
opened, the Dutch frequently visited Buzzard's Bay, 
and exchanged their productions for those of Plym- 
outh. Among the articles which they obtained 
from the Dutch was a quantity of wampum, or 
wampum-peack ; or, as Gookin calls it, wompom- 



156 WAMPUM. 

pague. It is composed of small pieces of shell, 
white or purple, ground, polished, and then drilled, so 
that they may be strung. They were used by the 
Indians as coin. The first quantity which the Puri- 
tans bought they found very difficult to dispose of. 
They kept it on hand for two years. After this it 
became a very salable .article, especially among the 
Indians of the interior, with whom fragments of sea- 
shell were rare. One fathom of it was equivalent to 
five shillings. They sent large quantities of it to 
Kennebec, where, by their monopoly of it, they 
succeeded in obtaining command of the whole trade 
on that river. 

When the Puritans first came over in the May- 
flower, they were unaccompanied by any pastor. 

It had been previously agreed upon by the Ley- 
den church, that if the majority came over with the 
first party, they should be accompanied by their pas- 
tor, but if only a minority of the church came. Elder 
Brewster should be their religious teacher, and the 
pastor should tarry with the majority. Tliis arrange- 
ment was faithfully executed. As only a minority 
came with the first company, Robinson was left 
behind to take charge of the others, but Brewster 
accompanied the emigrants ; hence, after their ar- 
rival, public religious services were usually conducted 
by him. He was a man well qualified to have be- 
come their pastor, but resolutely refused ordination. 



FIRST NEW ENGLAND PASTOR. 157 

After the death of Robinson, that branch of the 
church over which he had presided was dissolved, 
and a portion of them, among whom were his widow 
and children, came to Plymouth. Still, Brewster 
continued unwilling to be ordained, although he per- 
formed the regular duties of pastor. This state of 
things continued until 1629, when some of the men 
of Plymouth, having occasion to put into Nantasket, 
found there a man reduced to a destitute condition, 
by the name of Ralph Smith. He earnestly en- 
treated them to take him to Plymouth. As he ap- 
peared to be an honest-hearted, ingenuous, and pious 
man, and had officiated as a minister, they complied 
with Iiis request. After he had been at Plymouth a 
short time, and had exercised his gifts among them, 
he was invited to become their pastor. Tliis invita- 
tion being accepted, he was settled over them as 
their first minister. They were not long in discov- 
ering that he was a man of limited intelligence and 
weak capacity. There was a wide disparity between 
his instructions and those of their revered Robinson. 
The teacliings of Brewster w^ere regarded as far 
more edifying than his. It was no easy task to fill 
the places of such men. This Smith himself pain- 
fully realized. He felt his inability to meet the 
wants of his flock, and, after occupying his position 
five or six years, he finally, under a personal sense 
of his incapacity, and in comphance with the request 
14 



158 ROGER WILLIAMS. 

of liis people, tendered liis resignation. Before he 
left, he was assisted in his labors by the renowned 
Roger Williams, who came over on the 5th of Feb- 
ruary, 1630. Mr. Williams first accepted of the in- 
vitation of the church in Salem to settle with their 
pastor, Mr. Skelton, as an assistant teacher. But 
the civil government soon interfered and sent a letter 
to the church, censuring them for choosing Mr. 
Wilhams " without advising with the council," and 
desiring them to proceed no farther until they had a 
conference on the subject. Charges of an ecclesias- 
tical or theoloorical nature were brouo-ht ao^ainst Mr. 
Williams by the secular authorities. He was con- 
demned for his religious views by the General Court. 
His condition at Salem was made uncomfortable by 
" the powers that be," who ought to have let him 
alone. Though he and his church were mutually 
and strongly attached to each other, he thought it 
best to accept of the invitation to be an assistant 
teacher at Plymouth. His labors there were well 
received. Governor Bradford says of him, " He 
exercised his gifts among us, and after some time 
was admitted a member of the church, and his teach- 
ing was well approved ; for the benefit whereof, I 
shall bless God, and am thankful to him even for his 
sharpest admonitions and reproofs, so far as they 
agreed with truth." And Morton asserts that " he 
was well accepted as an assistant in the ministry." 



ROGER Williams's opinion. 159 

He remained about two years at Plymouth, during 
which time he probably expressed his sentiments 
upon those subjects which were so obnoxious to the 
government of Massachusetts, and which were not 
particularly agreeable to the leading men of Plym- 
outh, though they were not condemned by any 
formal act of the church. His attachment to Salem 
was not destroyed. Being invited to return there as 
an assistant to Mr. Skelton, who was in declining 
health, he asked a dismission from the Plymouth 
church. His friends were unwilling to grant it. 
But Mr. Brewster, the ruhng elder, advised the 
church to comply with his request, and dismiss both 
him and his adherents, wliich was accordingly done. 
He then went to Salem, accompanied by those who 
had become attached to his ministry. Mr. Williams 
was the great champion of soul-liberty. He main- 
tained the principle of universal religious toleration, 
and contended that the civil government had no right 
to interfere with the religious belief of men ; that 
" the civil power has no jurisdiction over the con- 
science." In these respects he was far ahead of his 
age. But what were regarded as novel and dan- 
gerous sentiments in his day, are now admitted 
truths, and familiar as household words. 

During his residence at Plymouth, he availed him- 
self of every favorable opportunity of intercourse 
with the Indians. He made excursions amonff them 



160 MURDER. 

to learn their language, study their manners, and 
quahfy himself to be useful among them. " My 
whole desire," said he, in one of his letters, " was to 
do the natives good." He became acquainted with 
the most influential chiefs, and secured their friend- 
ship by the interest which he .manifested for their 
welfare. In a letter written near the evening of 
life, he says, " God was pleased to give me a pain- 
ful, patient spirit, to lodge with them in their filthy, 
smoky holes, (even while I lived at Plymouth and 
Salem,) to gain their tongue." The knowledge 
which he thus acquired, and the friendships he 
formed, were of great service to him in after-life. 
But as the history of his subsequent adventures were 
not connected witli Plymouth colony, it will not be 
appropriate to dwell upon them here. 

During the first ten years of the settlement of 
the colony, no capital offence was committed. But 
at the end of that period, a murder was perpetrated, 
which required careful investigation. The culprit 
was John Billington, a profane, miserable scape- 
grace from London, who in some unaccountable 
manner was " shuffled " in among the pilgrims, and 
came over in the Mayflower. He was guilty of the 
first offence in the colony, an account of which has 
been already given, and for which he was sentenced 
to have his neck and heels tied together. Governor 
Bradford said of him, in a letter to Mr. Cushman in 



TRIAL AND VERDICT. 161 

1625, " Billington is a knave, and so will live and 
die." Whether this prediction was fulfilled or not, 
we shall see in the sequel. A complaint being entered 
against him, the case was first examined by a grand 
jury, and as they fi)und a true bill, charging him 
with waylaying and killing a young man by the 
name of John Newcomen, he was tried by a petit 
jury, who, after a careful hearing of the evidence in 
the case, brought in a verdict of guilty. It became 
now a grave question with the government, What 
shall be done ? Here is a murderer on our hands, 
who, after a fair trial according to the rules of law, 
has been found guilty. By the laws of England, he 
ought to die. But if we judge him according to 
English law^s, by that act we shall acknowledge our- 
selves subject to English laws and under obligation 
to obey them, whereas we have fled to this wilder- 
ness to escape that necessity. Besides, have we au- 
thority to execute him ? Or, in his execution shall 
we not incur the hability of a prosecution by the 
home government ? It was regarded as a matter of 
such grave importance, and involving such difficult 
points, that it was resolved to ask the advice of the 
governor and some of the most judicious men of 
the neighboring colony of Massachusetts Bay. The 
facts in the case were accordingly communicated to 
them, and their opinions solicited. Governor Win- 
throp, and the others who had been consulted, were 
14* 



163 SENTENCE. 

unanimous in the conclusion that the murderer 
ought to die. They based their opinion not upon 
Enghsh law, but upon the law of Moses, that whoso 
sheddeth man's blood, by man shall liis blood be shed. 
They advised, therefore, that the criminal should be 
executed, and " the land be purged of blood." Their 
advice was followed, and poor John Billington suf- 
fered an ignominious death. He furnished another 
illustration of the progressiveness and fatal tendency 
of sin. If the punishment which he received for 
the first offence committed in the colony had been 
effectual in liis reformation, he might have lived a 
useful life, and died an honored death. But no ; not- 
withstanding his professed penitence on that occasion, 
and the favor which was shown him, he pressed on 
in his career of iniquity, until he came to an ignoble 
end. So true it is that evil men and seducers wax 
worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived ; and 
that lust, when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin ; 
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

It is refresliing to turn from the cruelty of Bil- 
lington to the kindness of certain savctgcs which was 
exhibited about the same time. Ricliard Garrett, 
with a number of others who belonged to the more 
recent settlement at Boston, was driven ashore at 
Cape Cod. Their vessel went to pieces. It being 
in the cold season, a number of the men perished 
from exposure and hardship. Others of them, 



KINDNESS OF SAVAGES. 163 

though they did not die, suffered greatly, and had a 
\ery narrow escape. The Indians on the cape ral- 
lied to their rescue. Those of the survivors who 
were almost exhausted they attended and nursed 
with great kindness, until they were completely re- 
stored ; the dead bodies of the others they buried, 
though with difficulty, in consequence of the ground 
being frozen ; and then, taking those who were re- 
covered, they escorted them for fifty miles through 
woods and fields, until they brought them safely to 
Plymouth. 

The two neighboring colonies of Plymouth and 
Massachusetts Bay were on the verge of a quarrel, 
in consequence of the trade in corn, which the latter 
carried on with the Indians at Cape Cod. A pin- 
nace which belonged to Salem was driven by stress 
of weather into Plymouth. She was found to be 
laden with corn. The colonists were anxious to 
know where it was obtained. When they learned 
that it had been purchased of the natives at Cape 
Cod, they were displeased, and the governor issued 
an order forbidding the traffic, and threatening that 
the order should be forcibly executed if any attempt 
was made to continue the trade. This led to a cor- 
respondence between the governors of the two colo- 
nies, and after a visit from Governor Bradford to 
Boston, the difficulty was adjusted. 

Next year, 1632, Governor Winthrop, of Massa- 



164 CHURCH CUSTOMS. 

cliiisetts, made a visit to Pljmoiitli, accompanied 
by his pastor, Rev. Mr. Wilson, and two captains. 
They embarked in a vessel commanded by Captain 
Pierce, which had recently arrived from England, 
and were put on shore at Weymouth, where another 
colony had been planted after the destruction of 
Weston's, and which had met with some degree of 
prosperity. On the next morning they started for 
Plymouth, which they reached at evening of the 
same day. They were honorably received, hospita- 
bly entertained and "feasted every day at several 
houses." The Sabbath being communion day, they 
partook of the ordinance of the supper. Winthrop 
in his journal has given a particular account of cer- 
tain forms which were observed on that occasion. 
He says, " In the afternoon Mr. Roger Williams (ac- 
cording to their custom) propounded a question, to 
wliich their pastor, Mr. Smith, spake briefly. Rev. 
Mr. Williams prophesied ; and after, the governor of 
Plymouth spake to the question ; after liim, the 
elder ; then some two or three more of the congre- 
gation. Then the elder desired the governor of 
Massachusetts and Mr. Wilson to speak to it, wliich 
they did. When this was ended, the deacon, Mr. 
Fuller, put the congregation in mind of the contri- 
bution, upon which the governor and all the rest 
went down to the deacon's seat and put into the hag., and 
then returned." From this it would seem that the 



GOODMAN SUCH-A-ONE. 165 

contribution box or ha^ was not passed round; 
but every one who contributed, the governors with 
the rest, left his place, went down to the deacon's 
seat, which was probably near, or under, the pulpit, 
and there left their offering. On the following 
Wednesday, the Massachusetts governor, with his 
suite, left for home. They were accompanied part 
of their way by the governor, the pastor, and the 
elder of Plymouth. 

This is not the whole of this interesting visit 
which has come down to us. Cotton Mather, in 
his Magnalia, has given a characteristic account of 
the question wliich was discussed, and some of tlie 
arguments employed on that occasion. It sheds 
additional light upon the spirit and temper of those 
times. He states that " there were at this time, in 
Plymouth, two ministers leavened so far with the 
humors of the rigid separation, that they insisted 
vehemently upon the unlawfulness of calling any 
unregenerate man by the name of Goodman Such- 
a-one, until, by their indiscreet urging of this whim- 
sey, the place began to be disquieted. The wiser 
people being troubled at these trifles, they took the 
opportunity of Governor Winthrop's being there, to 
have the thing publicly propounded in the congre- 
gation ; who, in answer thereunto, distinguished 
between a theological and a moral goodness, adding, 
that when juries were first used in England, it was 



166 hue's cross. 

usual for the crier, after the names qf persons fit 
for that service were called over, to bid them all 
attend, good men and true ; whence it grew to be a 
civil custom in the English nation for neighbors, 
living by one another, to call one another Goodman 
Such-a-one, and it was pity now to make a stir about 
a civil custom so innocently introduced. And that 
speech of Mr. Winthrop put a lasting stop to the 
little, idle, whimsical conceits then beginning to 
grow obstreperous." 

On their return home, they came to a place 
named Hue's Cross. The religious antipathies of 
the governor were excited, and for fear that, at some 
subsequent period, the papists might assert that this 
name was evidence of their religion being first 
known in this country, he ordered it to be called 
Hue's Folly. Thus, in a pecuhar sense, did the 
cross become foolishness. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

" In such a time as this, it is not meet 
That every nice offence should bear its comment." — Shakspeare. 

Sir Christopher Gardner. — Foments Trouble. — Is charged with 
Bigamy. — Is pursued. — Is delivered up by Indians. — Indian 
Custom to secure a Welcome. — Small-pox. — Trade extended. 

— Adventures on the Connecticut. — Troubles on the Kennebec. 

— Captain Hocking killed. — A Plymouth Magistrate arrested 
in Boston. — Excitement at Plymouth. — Deputies sent to Bos- 
ton. — Praj'er before Business. — The Defence. — The Confes- 
sion. — The A djustment. — A Hurricane. — Its dreadful Rav- 
ages. — Eclipse of the Moon. 

The next year, both of the colonies had trouble 
vvdth the home government, in consequence of the 
charge of rebellion which was alleged against them 
by Sir Christopher Gardner, who, it is supposed, 
was stimulated to this perfidy by Sir Ferdinando 
Gorges and Captain Mason, whose aspirations were 
for a general government over the whole of New 
England. Sir Christopher was a man of some dis- 
tinction. He was related to Gardner, the bishop 
of Winchester, and was, in heart, a papist. When 
he first arrived in Massachusetts, he professed a 
deadness to the things of this world, and expressed 
a desire for retirement, where he could give himself 
to the cultivation of personal piety, without moles- 
tation. He applied to several churches for achnis- 



168 SIR CHRISTOPHER GARDNER. 

sion to membership; but as he was attended by a 
handsome young woman, whom he passed off as his 
cousin, but to whom he was suspected of sustaining 
a criminal relation, his application was refused. It 
was reported that he had two wives in England. 
When this accusation reached the government of 
Massachusetts, they determined to arrest him. Being 
informed of their design, Gardner fled from their 
jurisdiction, and concealed himself among the Na- 
masket Indians, witliin the limits of the Plymouth 
colony. These Indians revealed his place of seclu- 
sion to Governor Bradford, who authorized them to 
seize him and conduct him to Plymouth, but to in- 
flict upon him no injury. After this, the natives 
were on the alert for their victim. They discovered 
him at a short distance from a river, and attempted 
to apprehend him. He fled from them, leaped into 
a canoe, and pushed off" in the river. Being armed 
with a musket and rapier, he was able to keep his 
pursuers at a respectful distance, especially as they 
were ordered to do him no injury. If they had 
been commanded to bring him to the colony, dead 
or alive, by letting fly a shower of arrows upon him, 
they could easily have complied. As.it was, they 
found it diflicult to apprehend him without a viola- 
tion of the prohibition. Soon, an accident occurred 
in their favor. As the fujritive was floating down 
the stream, his canoe dashed upon a rock, and 



HE FLEES, AND IS TAKEN. 169 

was immediately overturned. His rapier and gun 
dropped in the water, and were lost. A small dag- 
ger was left, which he immediately drew. As the 
Indians were unwiHing either to inflict or to receive 
injury, they did not approach him very closely. 
They pursued a different method. They obtained 
some long poles, and, whilst standing at a consid- 
erable distance, they rapped him on the knuckles, 
and knocked the dagger from his hands. Resist- 
ance was then unavailing, and he yielded. He was 
tdken to Plymouth ; from thence, at the requisition 
of Governor Winthrop, he was removed to Boston 
as a prisoner, and, soon after, sent back to England. 
The charge of rebellion which he preferred against 
the colonies was so amply rebutted, — so satisfac- 
tory was the defence of the colonists, — that I^ng 
Charles said " he would have them severely pun- 
ished, who did abuse his government and planta- 
tion." The defendants were dismissed with expres- 
sions of favor. 

Governor Winthrop relates an incident as illus- 
trative of a singular custom among the Indians. 
Mr. Winslow had been for some time absent an an 
excursion to the west, as far as Connecticut. On 
his return, he left his vessel at Narraganset, with 
the intention of journeying the rest of the way to 
Plymouth by land. Massasoit, his old friend and 
patient, offered to be his guide. But before they 
15 



170 DECEITFUL CUSTOM. 

commenced their march, the chief sent a courier 
ahead, to tell the colonists that Winslow was dead, 
and to show them the spot where he was slain. 
When the courier reached Plymouth, and communi- 
cated the mournful intelligence, it produced deep 
and universal sorrow, as Winslow was one of their 
principal men, and greatly beloved. The next day, 
Massasoit arrived, bringing Winslow with him, alive 
and well. Then was there a sudden /change in the 
feelings of the Puritans. Sorrow endured for a 
night ; joy came in the morning. When Massasoit 
was examined as to the reason for sending this 
false messenger, he replied that it was one of the 
customs of his people, to render their return the 
more welcome after an absence from home. 

In 1634, the small-pox extensively prevailed 
among the Indians. Large numbers were swept 
away. 

For a few years past, the colony at Plymouth 
had been gradually extending their trade with the 
Indians, in various directions, as far as the Kenne- 
bec on the east, and the Connecticut on the west. 
As rival colonies had sprung up at different points, 
collisions sometimes took place between them, in 
respect to their rights of trade with certain tribes. 
Plymouth became involved in trouble with the 
Dutch of Manhattan, and with her nearer neighbor, 
the Massachusetts colony. To avoid mmuteness of 



STEALING A VESSEL. 171 

detail in these affairs, we shall content ourselves 
with the narration of one or two incidents only. 

A Plymouth vessel was lying in the Connecticut 
River, in close proximity to a Dutch fort. The 
merchant and most of the crew Avere on shore, un- 
suspicious of danger. A Captain Stone, a " West 
Indian of St. Christopher's," obtained an interview 
with the commander of the Dutch fort, and plied 
him so copiously with spirituous potations as to pro- 
duce intoxication. He then obtained the Dutch- 
man's leave to take the Puritan vessel which was 
lying in the river. He did so, and immediately fled 
with liis prize towards Virginia. Some Dutch 
sailors who were under obligations to the Puritans 
for kindnesses which they had received from theni 
at Plymouth, perceiving Stone's villanous purpose, 
and being determined to defeat it, if possible, pur- 
sued him in two vessels, overtook him, and recap- 
tured the prize. Sometime after this, Stone was in 
Massachusetts, where the officers of the law served 
him with a process. To effect a compromise, he 
went to Plymouth. In a misunderstanding which 
he had with the governor, not being satisfied with 
using hard words, he drew a weapon, and would 
have plunged it into him, if he had not been re- 
strained by the governor's attendants. After this, 
he returned to Connecticut. Being asleep in the 
cabin of his vessel, in company with a Captain 



173 TROUBLES ON THE KENNEBEC. 

Norton, lie was attacked by the savages. Norton 
exhibited great bravery in the struggle which fol- 
lowed. Some gunpowder which had been carelessly 
kft upon a table, in the melee took fire. The ex- 
plosion blinded Norton to such a degree that he 
could no longer defend himself. Both were slain. 
The pirates then plundered the vessel, fled, and 
concealed themselves among the Pequot tribe. This 
was among the causes that led to the Pequot war. 

Not far from this time, two of the magistrates 
of Plymouth were on the Kennebec, at a point 
embraced within the limits of the Plymouth patent. 
Whilst there, a pinnace, owned by Lords Say and 
Seal, and under the command of Hocking, entered 
the Kennebec, and attempted to pass up, for the pur- 
pose of trafficking with tlie natives. The Plymouth 
magistrates forbade him. He refused to comply 
with their embargo. He insisted upon going up, 
and insolently told them he would ascend the river, 
trade with the Indians in defiance of them, and 
would " lie there as long as he pleased." As he 
persevered in his determination, the Plymouth men 
followed him in a boat, entreating liim to return. 
He replied with insulting language and blunt denials. 
As words produced no effect, they resorted to other 
measui'es. When the pinnace came to anchor, 
they approached it in a canoe, and severed one of 
the cables, and attempted to treat the other in the 



A MAGISTRATE ARRESTED. 173 

same manner. Hocking declared that, if tliej did 
not desist, he would shoot them. They dared him 
to do it, and persevered in the use of their knives 
upon the remaining cable. He now fired, and one 
of them in the canoe fell dead ! They returned the 
fire, and killed Hocking ! This was an unfortunate 
affair : it was adapted to excite prejudices against 
the Puritans, and, as Governor Winthrop said at the 
time, "to bring them all and the gospel under a 
common reproach of cutting one another's throats 
for beaver." In May, Mr. John Alden, a magis- 
trate of Plymouth, visited Boston. As he was 
present at the time of the above catastrophe, one of 
the relatives of Hocking made a complaint against 
him in General Court, and had him arrested and 
held to bail. Winthrop, governor of Massachusetts, 
then wrote to the colony of Plymouth, informing 
them of the arrest, and wishing to know whether 
they would see that justice was done, as the affair 
happened in their jurisdiction. He also informed 
them that they made the arrest as a public expression 
of their condemnation of the deed. 

When this letter was received, and the Plymouth 
colony were informed that one of their magistrates 
was arrested and under bail in Boston, it produced 
no small degree of excitement. It was considered 
an affair of such grave importance, that ex-governors 
Bradford and Winslow, with Mr. Smith, their pastor, 
15* 



174 DEVOTION WITH BUSINESS. 

visited Boston, and met, in conference on the subject, 
the magistrates and ministers of the latter place, 
among whom were Governor Winthrop, Mr. Wilson, 
and Mr. Cotton. In this interview, we have another 
development of the devotional character of the Puri- 
tans, and of their dependence upon a higher power 
for guidance in times of perplexity ; we see how 
they mingled prayer mth their business conferences. 
It was not until after " they had sought the Lord," 
that .they entered upon their deliberations. The 
Plymouth gentlemen contended that they had an 
exclusive right to the trade of the Kennebec ; that 
Hocking was guilty of a trespass, and that, as he 
fired first, the one who killed him did it in self- 
defence. They still, however, acknowledged them- 
selves under some degree of guilt, " in that they did 
hazard man's life for such a cause, and did not 
rather wait to preserve their rights by other means." 
They also promised to be more careful, and avoid 
similar offences in future. The result of this con- 
ference was so favorable, that Governors Winthrop 
and Dudley, of Massachusetts, used their influence 
in England in behalf of Plymouth. Lords Say and 
Seal, in whose employ Hocking was, at the time of 
his death, though at first they were highly enraged, 
upon learning the true facts in the case, " were 
pacified." 

On the 15th of August, 1635, Plymouth was 



A HURRICANE. 175 

visited by one of the most powerful hurricanes which 
has ever been experienced in this chmate. It com- 
menced just before dayhght, and gradually increased, 
until its violence was most terrific. It converted the 
bay into an ocean of mountain billows ; vessels were 
swallowed up, or dashed to fragments upon the rock- 
bound coast. In some places the tide rose twenty 
feet perpendicularly, so that the affrighted Indians 
were obliged to ascend trees, and cling to the 
branches, to prevent themselves from being swept 
away. Many houses were laid level with the 
ground, and the roofs of many others were lifted, 
broken, and whirled through the air like leaves from 
the forest. All the corn which had been planted 
was prostrated to the earth, but being advanced far 
towards maturity, it was not absolutely destroyed. 
Morton says, " It blew down many hundred thou- 
sand of trees," breaking some short off; tearing up 
others by the roots, whilst the tall young oaks and 
walnuts it twisted and wound, like withes. It pre- 
sented a wild and fearful scene, and left the marks 
of its ravages for many years. It came from the 
south-east, changed its direction frequently, and con- 
tinued in its greatest violence six hours. Two 
nights afterward there was a great eclipse of the 
moon. 



CHAPTER XV. 

" Justice, like liglitninn:, ever should appear 
To few men's ruin, but to all men's fear." — Swetnam. 

'• Justice must be from violence exempt j 
But fraud 's her only object of contempt; 
Fraud in the fox, force in the lion dwells, 
But justice both from human hearts expels." — Denham. 

An Indian murdered. — Four Englishmen in Want. — They visit 
Roger Williams. — Are found to be the Murderers. — Three are 
caught. — Their Trial. — Singular Difficulty. — They are executed. 
— Effect of Puritan Justice on the Indians. — Anecdote of Captain 
Standish. — Alden takes his new Bride home on a Bull. — Con- 
federation of the New England Colonies. — Germ of the Ameri- 
can Union. — Its Influence. — Indian Alliances. — The Removal 
of the whole Colony proposed. — The Subject considered by the 
Church. — Purchase Eastham. — Found to be more unfavor- 
able than Plymouth. — The Project abandoned. — Ex-Governor 
Prince settles at Eastham. 

After the execution of Billiiigtoii, the account 
of which we have ah*eady given, no murder was com- 
mitted in the colony until 1638. This year an In- 
dian, who had made a trade for the son of Canoni- 
cus, the chief, and was returning home, with three 
coats and five fathom of wampum, seated himself in 
the woods near the edge of a swamp, probably to 
rest. Whilst there, four Englishmen came along 
and spoke to him. One of them asked him to "drink 
tobacco " with them, (a phrase which they used for 



ANOTHER MURDER. 177 

smoking.) He arose and went towards tlie individ- 
ual who had so kindly given him the invitation, and, 
as he reached forth his hand to receive the offered 
pipe, this professed friend thrust a deadly weapon 
through his leg into his abdomen. The Indian 
sprang back, when the other made a second plunge, 
but failed to reach him. Then one of the others 
followed ; but his blow missed, and his weapon stuck 
in the ground. The wounded Indian now fled. 
They pursued him, but he was successful in eluding 
them. After they had gone, the poor fellow crawled 
back with great pain, and laid himself in the path 
that he might be discovered and receive help. This 
transpired at Pawtucket, near Providence, but within 
the precincts of Plymouth colony. 

Soon after this, an Indian passing through Provi- 
dence, informed Roger Williams that there were four 
Englishmen at Pawtucket, about four miles distant, 
almost starved for want of food. With his charac- 
teristic kindness, Mr. WiUiams immediately sent 
them provisions, spirits, and a cordial invitation to 
visit Providence. When the messenger returned, he 
informed Mr. Williams that one of them was Arthur 
Peach, of Plymouth, an Irishman, and another was 
called .John Barnes. They pleaded the fatigues and 
soreness of travelling, as their excuse for declining 
his invitation. The next morning, however, they 
came, stating that they were turned out of the house 



178 THE CRIMINALS ARRESTED. 

where they were at Pawtucket, because some Indians 
said they had wounded an Englishman. They pre- 
tended that they had lost their way in going from 
Plymouth to Weymouth, and afterwards in coming 
from Weymouth to Providence. The Sabbath which 
had elapsed since they left Plymouth, they said they 
spent in resting in the woods. Shortly after they 
had left Providence, an old Indian arrived there and 
informed Mr. Williams, that whilst four Englishmen 
were stopping at Pawtucket, three natives arrived, 
saying that they had found an Indian almost dead in 
the woods, who had been attacked by four Englishmen. 
They inquired whether there were any English there, 
or whether any had been seen. When Arthur and 
his companions heard of these inquiries, they got up 
and fled hastily in the night. So soon as Mr. Wil- 
liams understood the facts in the case, he sent a 
messenger in pursuit of the English, whilst himself 
went to the wounded man in the woods and minis- 
tered, Samaritan-like, to his wants. Three of the 
Englishmen were apprehended at Rhode Island, and 
sent to Plymouth, where they were brought to trial. 
The court consisted of the wisest, most experienced, 
and best men of the colony, embracing Bradford, 
Winslow, Prince, Standi sh and others of similar 
character. A singular difficulty occurred at the 
trial, wliich, in some courts, might have resulted in 
the acquittal of the prisoners, and in others would 



TRIAL AND EXECUTION. 179 

have led to a postponement of the trial. Here were 
three men tried for murder, and none of the wit- 
nesses could swear that the wounded man was dead. 
Mr. Williams and a Mr. .Tames of Providence testi- 
fied that the wound inflicted was mortal, and two 
Indians in court swore that if he were not dead from 
the injury he received, they would be willing to die 
themselves. They were found guilty and executed. 
Before their execution they made a full confession 
of the crime, and acknowledged that they did it in 
order to obtain the Indian's wampum. The one 
who escaped concealed himself for a season, and 
afterwards left the country. In the execution of 
these three colonists for one Indian, the Puritans ex- 
hibited their strong sense of justice, and their firm 
determination to protect, not only themselves, but 
also the natives, in the possession of their just rights. 
It was important that the Indians should be con- 
vinced of this, as otherwise, when injuries were done 
them, they would take the law into their own hands 
and inflict summary punishment. This execution, 
which, so far as we know, was unsought for on their 
part, must have convinced them of the certainty of 
colonial protection. For many years they made no 
attempts to avenge the injuries they received from in- 
dividual colonists, but left the execution of justice, in 
such cases, to the Tilnghsh. 

It will be a relief to the above sombre proceed- 



180 STANDISH LOSES MISS MULLINS. 

ings, if we relate here the following traditionary 
anecdote of one of the above jurymen, which illus- 
trates the danger of one gentleman commissioning 
another to make proposals of marriage for him to 
the lady whose hand he seeks. 

A short time after the death of Mrs. Standish, the 
bereaved captain found his heart filled with tender 
interest for Miss Priscilla Mullins, daughter of Mr. 
William Mullins. He cherished the impression thai 
if she could be persuaded to unite her fortunes with 
his, the loss which he had experienced would be re- 
paired. He, therefore,' according to Puritan custom, 
made known his wishes to the father through Mr. 
John Alden, as his messenger. Mullins made no 
objection, although he might reasonably have done 
so, on account of the decease of Mrs. Standish 
having been so recent. He gave his consent, 
but informed Alden that the young lady must be 
consulted. Priscilla was called into the room, not 
knowing for what purpose she was wanted. Al- 
den, a man of noble form, of fair, and somewhat 
florid complexion, and engaging manners, arose and 
delivered his message for Standish in befitting lan- 
guage, and in a prepossessing, courteous style. 

Priscilla hstened attentively, heard every word, 
and then, after a short pause, as if gathering strength 
to reply, she fixed her eyes upon tlie messenger, and 
said with a frank and pleasant countenance, full of 



A BRIDE RIDING ON A BULL. 181 

meaning, " Prithee, John, why do you not speak for 
yourself? " John's ruddy countenance became red ; 
he took the hint, made a poHte bow, bade farewell 
for the present, and returned to Standish to commu- 
nicate the result of his negotiation. Thenceforward 
he visited for liimself, and ere long their nuptials 
were solemnized in due form, and Miss Priscilla 
Mullen became Mrs. John Alden. Tradition reports 
further, that when Alden visited Cape Cod for the 
purpose of entering into the conjugal relation with 
Priscilla, as the colony then had no horses, he 
went mounted on the back of a bull, which he had 
covered with a piece of handsome broadcloth. After 
the marriage ceremonies were performed, he re- 
linquished tliis seat to his new bride. Placing her 
on the back of the bull, he returned home in joyous 
triumph, leading the ungainly animal by a rope fas- 
tened to a ring in its nose. In relation to this event 
Thatcher says, " This sample of primitive gallantry 
would ill compare with that of Abraham's servant, 
when, by proxy, he gallanted Rebekah on her jour- 
ney, with a splendid retinue of damsels and servants 
seated on camels, Isaac going out to meet her. Had 
the servant employed bulls instead of camels, it may 
be doubted whether Rebekah would have been quite 
so prompt in accepting his proposals. As soon as 
the question was put, Rebekah said, ' I will go.* 
With equal propriety he might have said, had Mr- 
16 



182 CONFEDERATION OF THE COLONIES. 

Alden taken a camel instead of a bull, Priscilla Mul- 
lens might have declined. They both employed the 
creature in use among their own people. We are 
somewhat inclined to the belief, that in each case the 
lady was influenced more by the man than the ani- 
mal ; more by the home that was offered her, than 
by the conveyance thither." 

We have already intimated, that, after the planting 
of Plymouth, other settlements were formed in dif- 
ferent parts of the country. They increased in 
numbers and importance. Although they were in- 
dependent of each other, there were some things in 
which they had a mutual interest. After the expe- 
rience of years, it was found desirable, for various 
reasons, that the colonies wliich had come into ex- 
istence in New England, embracmg Massachusetts, 
Plymouth, Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook, 
should unite together upon a common basis, for 
mutual council, protection, and interest. After spend- 
ing much time in consultation and correspondence 
upon the subject, principles of agreement were finally 
settled, and a Confederation of the New England 
Colonies formed. Tliis was a " perpetual league 
of friendship and amity, for offence and defence, 
mutual advice and succor, upon all just occasions, 
both for preserving and propagating the truths and 
liberties of the gospel, and for their own mutual 
safety and welfare." Though the language of the 



EFFECT OF THE CONFEDERACY. 183 

articles of the confederation was not remarkable for 
its precision, and was susceptible of a liberal con- 
struction, yet the interpretation which it generally 
received, being characterized by sobriety and wis- 
dom, no modification of it was made for tliirty years. 
This may appropriately be regarded as the germ of 
the American Union. Its immediate effect was to 
elevate the colonies in respectability and importance, 
in the estimation of the Dutch, the French, and the 
Indians. As an insult to one was an insult to the 
whole ; as all were pledged to defend each, in case 
of an attack, the neighboring colonies of other na- 
tions, as well as the natives, saw that no one planta- 
tion could be trifled with or assaulted with impunity. 
The vengeance of the whole confederation would at 
once be aroused. Soon after the union was formed, 
a number of Indian cliiefs entered into a friendly 
alliance with the English, among whom were Mian- 
tonomo and Uncas, sagamores of the powerful Nar- 
ragansetts and the Mohegans. 

At one time the project was seriously entertained 
of removing the colony from Plymouth. The soil 
was so unproductive, and the location so unfavorable 
in other respects, that many had left, and others 
wanted to follow. The question was discussed with 
much interest in the church. There was, as might 
be supposed, a wide difference of opinion. Not a 
few were strongly opposed to the removal, who yet 



184 PROPOSAL TO LEAVE PLYMOUTH. 

expressed a willingness to acquiesce rather than see 
the church go to dissolution. A majority was at last 
obtained in favor of the project. But where shall 
they go 1 Different places were proposed ; and it 
may excite a smile when we state that the one 
selected was Eastham, on Cape Cod, an exposed, 
barren, and sandy location. It was purchased from 
the Nauset Indians. But upon more careful exam- 
ination, it was found to be less desirable than Plym- 
outh. The members of the church changed their 
purpose, and resolved to remain where they were. 
There were some exceptions, of persons who could 
not, or would not, be satisfied with their old location. 
These bought out the rights of the church to East- 
ham, removed tliither, and commenced a settlement 
themselves. Thomas Prince, who had been twice 
governor of the colony, was one of them. What 
would have been the fate of Plymouth, and of the 
famous " Rock," if all had removed, we leave the 
speculative to conjecture. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

" Such is our mild and tolerant way, 
We only curse them twice a day, 
According to a form that's set ; 
And far from torturing, only let 
All orthodox believers beat 'em, 
And twitch their beards, where'er they meet 'em." — Moore. 

Quakers ordered out of the Colony. — They refuse to obey. — 
All forbidden to harbor Quakers. — Humphrey Norton impris- 
oned. — Quakers' Contempt of Government. — Their Insolence to 
the Governor. — Refuse to take Oath. — Are whipped. — Nor- 
ton's Letters. — Fanaticism always troublesome. — No Quaker 
or Ranter permitted to be a Freeman. — A House of Correction 
ordered to be built. — Six Quakers banished on Pain of Death. 

— Milder Laws. — Four Persons appointed to reason with them. 

— One of these becomes a Quaker. — All Persons authorized to 
arrest them. — Their Meetings forbidden. — Severity excites 
Sympathy. — Rig-orous Measures were not universally approved. 

— Charles 11. ascends the Throne of England. — He suppresses 
the Persecutions. — Secretary Rawson. — His. Daughter Re- 
becca receives the Attentions of Thomas Rumsey. — Marries 
him. — Accompanies him to England. — Finds a Relative. — 
Conduct of her Husband. — Painful Discovery. — Her Aban- 
donment. — Her Self-reliance. — Embarks for Jamaica. — Ar- 
rival there. — Her unhappy End, 

It becomes now our painful duty to narrate 
events, which we would gladly leave untouched, if 
we could consistently with fidelity. As, however, 
they are matters of liistory ; as they develop impor- 
tant phases of character, and are prolific in impor- 
tant lessons, they may properly claim a share of our 
16* 



186 QUAKERS IMPRISONED. 

attention. We refer to the treatment of the 
Quakers. About 1657, an order was passed, that 
if any one brought a Quaker, ranter, or other 
notorious heretic within the jurisdiction of the col- 
ony, and should be ordered by a magistrate to 
return him to the place whence he came, they 
should obey, or pay a fine of twenty shillings for* 
every week that such obnoxious person remained in 
the colony after such warning. This, however, 
was only the beginning of sorrows. In despite of 
the twenty shilling law, Quakers did come within 
their precincts and proclaim their hated tenets. 
This gave occasion for a severer law. It was en- 
acted that no person should harbor or entertain any 
Quaker in the colony, under a penalty of five 
pounds for every offence, or a public whipping. 

In the month of October, 1657, Hmnphrey Nor- 
ton was examined by the court, who found him 
guilty of " divers horrid errors," and banished him 
from the colony. He returned, however, in com- 
pany with another Quaker of similar spirit. They 
were arrested and imprisoned. A prominent feature 
in the conduct of the Quakers, which greatly exas- 
perated the court, was their contempt of the legal 
authorities. They gave their tongues great license, 
aud seem to have imagined that they were honoring 
God by their insolent defiance of the civil tribunals. 
Thus, at their examination, Norton said to the gov- 



THEIR CONTEMPT OF AUTHORITY. 187 

ernor, a number of times, " Thou liest ; " " Thomas, 
thou art a maUcious man." As if determined to 
provoke severity, he said again to the governor, 
" Thy clamorous tongue I regard no more than the 
dust under my feet ; and thou art like a scolding 
woman, and thou pratest and deridest me." As they 
professed to be English subjects, the court ordered 
them to take the oath of fidehty to their country. 
They refused, declaring they would take no kind of 
an oath. They were then sentenced to be wliipped. 
After the sentence was executed, and whilst they 
were smarting under the stripes they had received, 
the marshal ordered them to pay a fee for the 
whipping ! Thatcher says, " In our times, we 
should think public whipping to be a sufficient 
punishment, without obhging the culprit to pay the 
whipper's fee." The fee was probably regarded as 
a part of the costs of court, which the defaulted 
party usually pays. Still, it has somewhat the ap- 
pearance of making a criminal pay the costs of his 
execution, scaffold and rope included. In this case, 
however, they refused, and, consequently, were re- 
committed to prison, where they remained until they 
compromised the affair with the marshal, when they 
were released, and left the colony. In order to 
show the spirit that was cherished, and the language 
employed on that occasion, by the weaker party, 
we shall give a few eitracts from Norton's letters, 



188 



written at that time. These are essential to a fiill 
view of the facts. In one, addressed to the gov- 
ernor, written just after his punishment, he says, 
" Thomas Prince, thou hast bent thy heart to work 
wickedness, and thy tongue hath set forth deceit : 
thou imaginest mischief upon thy bed, and hatchest 
thy hatred in thy secret chamber: the' strength of 
darkness is over thee, and a maUcious mouth hast 
thou opened against God and his anointed ; and with 
thy tongue and hps hast thou uttered perverse 
things : thou hast slandered the innocent, by railing, 
lying, and false accusations, and with thy barbarous 
heart hast thou caused their blood to be shed. . . . 
The curse, causeless, cannot come upon thee, nor 
the vengeance of God unjustly cannot fetch thee 
up. . . . The deadly drink of the cup of indig- 
nation thou cannot escape, and the grief and cause 
of travail will not be greater than thine. . . . 
Thou hast caused to defraud the righteous owner 
of his goods, and a heaping it up, as upon a hill, 
wherewith thou wilt purchase to thyself and others 
a field of blood, wherein to bury your dead. John 
Alden is to thee like a pack horse, whereupon thou 
layest thy beastly bag : cursed are all they that 
have a hand therein. . . . The anguish and pain 
that will enter thy veins will be like gnamng worms 
lodging betwixt thy heart ^nd liver. When these 
things come upon thee, and thy back bowed dowii 



FANATICISM. 1»9 

with pain, in that day and hour thou shalt know to 
thy grief that prophets of the Lord we are, and the 
God of vengeance is our God." • 

In another to Jolm Alden, less violent in spirit, 
but of the same general character, he says, " If 
there be in thee any expectation of mercy, do thou 
withdraw thy body forever appearing at that beastly 
bench, where the law of God is cast behind your 
backs. . . . Let the cursed purse be cast out of 
thy house, wherein is held the goods of other men." 

Both of these letters were signed by Humphrey 
Norton. The spirit of fanaticism which they ex- 
hibit would make men troublesome in any com- 
munity where they were not restrained by law. In 
our own day, public worship has been disturbed, 
and meetings broken up, by men and women who 
were controlled by similar sentiments. Li some in- 
stances, they were prosecuted and punished. The 
difference, however, between these prosecutions and 
those of the Quakers consists in this : The Qualiers 
were tried and punished for their sentiments ; the 
disturbers of the peace, in our day, are pimished, 
not for their sentiments, but for their unlawful con- 
duct in interfering with the rights and privileges of 
others. 

The next year, it was enacted that no " Quaker, 
ranter, or any such corrupt person," should be a 
freeman of the corporation. The court also 



190 QUAKERS BANISHED. 

framed another bill, with this explanatory preamble : 
" Whereas sundry persons, both Quakers and others, 
wander up and down in this jurisdiction, and follow 
no lawful calling to earn their own bread, and also 
use all endeavors to subvert civil state, and pull 
down all churches and ordinances of God, to thrust 
us out of the ways of God, notwithstanding all 
former laws provided for the contrary." It was 
therefore ordered that a house of correction be 
built, in which all such individuals, mth all "idle 
persons, or rebellious children, or servants that are 
stubborn and will not work," should be obliged to 
earn their living by labor, under the direction of an 
overseer. 

On the 11th of May, 1659, six persons, among 
whom were Lawrence Southwick and wife, were 
sentenced to depart out of the jurisdiction of the 
colony, by the eighth of June, on pain of death ! 
This was a barbarous sentence. We have no evi- 
dence, however, that this extreme penalty was 
inflicted upon any Quaker in the Plymouth colony. 
For what was done at Boston, in the Massachusetts 
settlement, they were not responsible. The trage- 
dies wliich were enacted there, during this period, 
will be described in another volume on the history 
of that colony. They would be out of place here. 

Later in the year, the laws which were passed 
against the Quakers at Plymouth assumed a milder 



ATTEMPT TO CONVERT THEM. 191 

character. They authorized the seizure of all books 
and writings which contained their doctrines, many 
of which had been circulated throughout the colony. 
As some of the colonists had been converted to the 
Quaker behef, it was enacted, that if such would 
remove out of the government mthin six months, 
they should be subjected to no fine ; and those who 
were too poor to move, should receive assistance at 
the public expense. 

As their next measure for the prevention of the 
spread of this unwelcome heresy, and for the re- 
claiming of those who had already embraced it, the 
government commissioned four individuals to attend 
the meetings of the Quakers, for the purpose of 
convincing them of the error of their ways. This 
was a dangerous experiment. One of those to 
whom this appointment was given was Isaac Rob- 
inson, son of their Leyden pastor, Rev. .Tohn Rob- 
inson. But in his discussion with the Quakers, 
instead of convincing them of their errors, they 
persuaded him that they were truths ; instead of 
heahng the disease, he caught the contagion. They 
made him a convert. By embracing their sentiments, 
he rendered himself obnoxious to the government, 
was dismissed from office, and " exposed to much 
censure, and some indignity." 

In 1660, a law was passed, authorizing all per- 
sons to apprehend Quakers, and dehver them to a 



192 QUAKERS TO BE WHIPPED. 

constable, that they might be brought before the gov- 
ernor or some magistrate for examination. In order 
to render it difficult for them to itinerate through 
the colony, in their efforts to disseminate their doc- 
trine, or to escape from the officers of justice, it 
was enacted "that if any pson or psons shall 
furnish any of them with horse or horse kind, the 
same to bee forfeited and seized on, for the use of 
this Gov^'ment ; or any horses that they shall bring 
into the Gov^ment, shalbee brought for them and 
they make use of, shalbee forfeited, as aforsaid." 

The next year it was enacted that if any Quaker 
came into any of the towns of this government, they 
should be whipped with rods, not exceeding fifteen 
stripes, and then have a pass to leave the jurisdiction. 
If any were found without their pass, or not acting 
according to it, they should be whipped again. Their 
meetings were forbidden under a penalty of five 
pounds to the owner of the premises, or a whipping. 
Notwithstanding the severity of these enactments, the 
Quakers multiplied. Sympathy was awakened in 
their favor. Even the magistrates shnmk from the 
execution of the laws against them, and finally they 
resorted again to persuasion, as is evident from the 
law which was passed to break up their monthly 
meetings. It was enacted that Mr. Constant South- 
worth and William Peabody should repair to these 
meetings, with the marshal, or constable of the 



THE KING FORBroS PERSECUTION. 193 

town, and use their best endeavors, by argument and 
discourse, to convince or hinder them. 

The statement should not be omitted, that these 
rigorous measures against the Quakers did not re- 
ceive the unanimous approval of the government. 
Mr. Cudworth, Mr. Allerton, Mr. Hatherly, and some 
others opposed them. The consequence was, they 
lost their offices as magistrates. A few years, how- 
ever, produced a great change in public sentiment, 
and Cudworth, Isaac Robinson, and Hatherly were 
restored to their offices. 

When Charles II. ascended the throne of England, 
the inhabitants of Plymouth sent to him a declara- 
tion of their allegiance. This was soon followed by 
a mandamus from the king commanding the prose- 
cutions against the Quakers to cease, and that those 
under arrest, whether condemned or not, should be 
sent to England, with a specification of the crimes 
alleged against them, that they might be tried ac- 
cording to the laws of the kingdom. This royal 
mandate was followed by a mitigation of the sever- 
ities which were practised against them. In Plym- 
outh the most objectionable laws were repealed, and 
we find no further trace of their persecution. Thus 
terminated this humiliating and disgraceful affair, 
the prominent elements of which were heated fanati- 
cism and intolerant bigotry. 

During the persecutions of the Quakers in Plym- 
17 



194 REBECCA RAWSON. . 

outh, proceedings of even greater severity were in- 
stituted against them in the colony of Massachusetts, 
of which, at that time, Edward Rawson was secre- 
tary, who took an active part in their trials. His 
name frequently appears upon the record of that pe- 
riod as the " Persecutor." 

Rawson had twelve children, the history of one 
of whom is so full of romance and tragedy, as can- 
not fail to interest the reader ; we refer to his 
daughter, Rebecca. She was a talented young lady, 
of great personal attractions, and a well-cultivated 
mind. One of her contemporaries described her as 
<' one of the most beautiful, polite, and accom- 
plished young ladies in Boston." From the position 
which her father occupied in the government, she 
doubtless moved in the most elevated circles of co- 
lonial society. Among her admirers was a base, 
unprincipled, deceitful fellow, from England, whose 
name was Thomas Rumsey, but who passed himself 
off as Sir Thomas Hale, Jr., nephew to Lord Chief 
Justice Hale. After an avowal of his passion for 
the beautiful Rebecca, the mock Sir Thomas ven- 
tured to make her proposals of marriage. The 
young lady, with her other qualities, possessed a good 
share of " worldly ambition," and regarding the 
proffer of the young lord a favorable offer, the ac- 
ceptance of which would introduce her into the 
fashionable circles of England, and cherishing also 



REBECCA RAWSON MARRIED. 195 

tender sentiments towards him, she had no disposition 
to refuse his hand. Their marriage was solemnized, 
July 1, 1679, in the presence of about forty persons. 
This was only the first act of the drama. After re- 
ceiving the congratulations of her friends, many of 
whom thought she had been singularly fortunate in 
the connection, the young bride bade them farewell, 
and embarked, with her noble husband and a splen- 
did outfit, for the shores of Old England. What 
hopes and fears, what visions of fancied bliss and 
forebodings of dreaded evil, passed over her mind, 
during her long and tedious voyage, we cannot tell. 
We only know that in due time she, and her hand- 
some outfit, safely arrived. Being anxious to step 
on the soil of the Empire Isle, she made a hasty 
toilette, and went on shore " en dislaabille," in com- 
pany with her husband. She succeeded on the sec- 
ond day in finding a relative, with whom they lodged. 
Sir Thomas, Jr., knowing that the denouement of his 
nefarious plot was at hand, arose early in the morn- 
ing, took the keys belonging to his wife, and de- 
parted, telling her that he would send the trunks 
ashore, so that she might dress for dinner. In the 
course of the morning the trunks came, but as her 
husband had the keys, they could not be opened. 
She was obliged to wait for his return. There is a 
limit to female patience ; in her case the limit was 
soon reached. Whether from any part of his con- 



196 REBECCA GOES TO ENGLAND. 

duct on shipboard, or since their landing, her sus- 
picions were awakened, we know not ; but, after 
waiting impatiently in vain, till two o'clock, for his 
return, she determined to open the trunks by force. 
It was done ; when, to her amazement, she found 
every article of clothing, useful and costly, removed, 
and the trunks filled with worthless combustibles ! 
She was overwhelmed with shame, perplexity, and 
sorrow. Where her husbjmd had gone, or what had 
become of her wardrobe, it was equally impossible 
to tell. The relative with whom she stopped took 
her in his carriage to the house where she and her 
husband spent the preceding night. She there in- 
quired for Sir Thomas Hale, Jr. " He has not 
been here for some days," was the reply. 

" He was surely here night before last," said she. 
They informed her that she was mistaken ; that Sir 
Thomas Hale, Jr., had not been there, but tliat 
Thomas Rumsey came there on the night which she 
had specified, with a young lady. " Where is he 
now 1 " " Gone to his wife, in Canterbury." The 
abominable wickedness of Rumsey and the condition 
of the unfortunate Rebecca were now fully revealed. 
She had been deceived and betrayed, and all her 
hopes of future elevation ruined. She awoke from 
her dream of pleasure and aggrandizement to a full 
realization of her humiliating position. Instead of 
being the lawful wife of a man of honor and title, 



HER bUSBAND ABANDONS HER. 197 

she found she had been sustaming, ignorantly of 
course, an illegal connection with a base, licentious 
fellow, having a wife in England, and who, not sat- 
isfied with ruining her, as to her future social pros- 
pects, had stripped her of her all, so that she had not 
even a change of garments. She never saw him 
again ! Being thus robbed and abandoned in a 
strange land, and having too much spirit to be depend- 
ent upon her friends, she threw herself upon her own 
industry for support. Possessing a good share of 
natural ingenuity and perseverance, she applied her- 
self so successfully to various kinds of fancy work, 
that for thirteen years she succeeded in obtaining a 
" genteel subsistence for herself and child." At the 
end of this period, she determined to return to her 
own country. Leaving her child in the care of her 
sister in England, who had none of her own, she 
' embarked for Jamaica on her way to Boston, in a 
vessel belonging to her uncle. Her romantic life 
was here doomed to a tragical end. On the morn- 
ing of June 9th, 1692, whilst her uncle was on shore, 
engaged in settling his accounts, and when the ves- 
sel was ready to sail for Massachusetts, the island 
was visited with a tremendous earthquake, which 
swallowed up the vessel and all on board, among 
whom was the injured heroine of our story. The 
uncle was the only one of the ship's company who 
was saved. Thus terminated the eventful career of 
17* 



198 

the beautiful, accomplished, yet unfortunate Rebecca 
Rawson. A knowledge of these facts will give a 
special interest to her likeness in the present volume, 
which is a copy of her original portrait, now in the 
possession of R. R. Dodge, East Sutton, Mass. 




Et SucE 1670 



mmmm(Q(DA miiw^s^ifo 



Born m Boston 1656 Died at Port Royal (Jamaica) 1692 



CHAPTER XVII. 

• " We have strict statutes, and most biting laws, 

The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds." — Shakspe are 

" The good needs fear no law ; 
It is his safety, and the bad man's awe." — Massingek. 

The Enactment of Law develops Character. — Trial by Jury. — 
Wants of the Colony to be supplied first. — Exports forbidden. 

— Those who refused the Office of Governor to be fined. — 
Bradford released by Importunity. — How different now. — 
Marriage forbidden without the Consent of Parents. — Intentions 
of Marriage to be published. — Consent of Parents to be ob- 
tained to address their Daughters. — Punishment to depend upon 
the "Quality" of the Offender. — Short Sleeves forbidden. — 
Laws against Contempt of the Scriptures. — Sabbath-breaking 
and Gambling Laws executed. — Stocks and Cage always 
ready. — Psalm Singing. — Courtship punished. — - Abuse of 
Husbands. — Blackbirds' Heads to be obtained. — Effects of 
Union of Church and State. — Every Colony to have a Church. 

— Church Rates. — Whales. — Ministers forbidden to leave their 
People. — Meeting-house in every Town. — Parental Instruction. 

— Schools. — Arms must be taken to Meeting. — Indians and 
Wolves. — Effects of these Laws. — The Bible the Basis of their 
Legislation. 

The character of a people may be learned from 
their legislation. If the laws of some lost race were 
to be found, it would not be difficult, though not 
another word of their annals should be discovered, 
to ascertain their genius and spirit. The pecuhari- 
ties of the Puritans are as fully developed in their 
laws as in any events of their history. Some of 



200 PURITAN LAWS. 

their enactments exliibit profound wisdom, sagacity, 
and forecast ; others of them show their strong at- 
tachment to tlie doctrines and precepts of the Bible ; 
whilst another class descend to matters of such 
trivial nature, as to appear puerile. With reference 
to this latter class, the Pilgrims acted upon the prin- 
ciple of nipping crime in the bud. The things for- 
bidden may have been, in themselves, comparatively 
unimportant ; but their influence, if unchecked, might 
have led to gross crimes. By destroying the seeds, 
they labored to prevent the fruits. Those who wish 
to go fully into this subject, are referred to the 
" Charter and Laws of the Colony of New Plymouth," 
which were collected and published, agreeably to a 
resolve of the legislature of Massachusetts, in 1836. 
We shall only give a few of the more important or 
peculiar of them. 

It is an interesting fact, and shows the desire on 
the part of the colonists to guard the rights of indi- 
viduals, that the first law on record in the above 
volume secures trial by a jury consisting of twelve 
honest men, under oath. This was in 1623. At a 
later period, Qd. was allowed each juror, and 12c?. to 
the foreman, as fees. 

Three years after, it was enacted that no handi- 
craftsman, as tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, joiners, 
smiths, or sawyers, belonging to the plantation, should 
work for any strangers or foreigners, until the 
necessities of the colony were served. 



LAWS COMPELLING PUBLIC SERVICES. 201 

At the same time, in order to prevent a renewal 
of the dreadful scarcity which had been previously 
experienced, the exportation of corn, beans, and 
peas was proliibited, under the penalty of a confis- 
cation of all such exports. 

So small were the honors and emoluments of 
office, contrasted with its responsibiUties, or so 
limited was the ambition of the Pilgrim fathers, that 
it seems not to have been an easy thing to find in- 
cumbents for the highest stations in the government. 
Bradford, we know, earnestly desired not to be re- 
chosen governor. He thought the honors and labors 
of office ought to be distributed. But he was over- 
ruled, and kept in. In 1632, it was enacted, that if 
any were elected to the office of governor, and 
would not serve, he should be fined twenty pounds 
sterling ! If he refused paying the fine, it was to be 
levied out of his goods or chattels. It was also or- 
dered, that, if any were chosen to the office of coun- 
cil, and declined its acceptance, they should be fined 
ten pounds each. The only exception specified 
was in the case of one who should be chosen gov- 
ernor a second time, after having held the office the 
preceding year. Such a one might decline without 
the liability of a fine, and then the company were to 
proceed to a new election, " except they can prevail 
upon him by entreaty." Governor Winthrop, in his 
Journal, records in 1633, "Mr. Edward Winslow 



202 LAWS CONCERNING MARRIAGE. 

chosen governor of Plymouth, Mr. Bradford having 
been governor about ten years, and now by impor- 
tunity got oj-y What a wonderful contrast does all 
this present with that unprincipled scrambhng for 
office, that anxiety for public honors and emolu- 
ments, with which the country at the present day is 
so rife ! Who now declines the office of governor 1 
In what portion of our land does a necessity exist 
for a law similar to the above, in order to secure 
incumbents for the highest local offices 1 

No persons under " the covert of parents " were 
allowed to marry without their parents' consent. If 
this could not be obtained, they were tlien to get the 
permission of the governor, or some of his assist- 
ants. After wliicli they were to be published three 
times in a public meeting, or, if no such meetings were 
held in the town, their intention of marriage was to 
be posted up in some conspicuous place for fifteen 
days. 

A similar law requiring intentions of marriage to 
be published fourteen days, including three public 
days, was in force in Massachusetts, until within a 
'year or two. It became the practice of the editors 
of some of the daily journals to insert these inten- 
tions of marriage in their papers. This, of course, 
gave greater publicity to the intentions, and was the 
more repulsive to the parties concerned. After this, 
many individuals, in order to escape the necessity 



PROFANITY FORBIDDEN. 203 

of giving such notoriety to their private proceedings, 
would shp into some neighboring state, where they 
could be united in the " holy bands of raatriinony," 
without any publicity whatever. The law is now 
altered in Massachusetts. All that is required at 
present, is to obtain a certificate from the city regis- 
trar, or the town clerk, without any previous pub- 
lication of intention, and the marriage may then be 
immediately solemnized. 

In 1638, it was enacted that if any man offered 
proposals of marriage to any young lady without 
Jirst obtaining the consent of her parents or master, 
he should submit to a fine, or to corporal punishment, 
or to both, at the discretion of the court. 

Laws were also passed which punished " profane 
swearing by the name of God, or any of his titles, 
attributes, word, or works," with a fine of twelve 
pence for every offence, or exposure in the stocks, 
not to exceed three hours, or imprisonment " accord- 
ing to the nature and quality of the person." It 
would appear from this, that the degree of punish- 
ment was somewhat dependent upon the social po- 
sition of the offender — the more elevated was the 
criminal, the heavier the penalty. They did not, 
however, imitate the example of the Massachusetts 
colony, who, about the same time, passed the fol- 
lowing order, which must have been of special in- 
terest to the ladies : "No garment shall be made 



204 SHORT SLEEVES FORBIDDEN. 

with short sleeves, and such as have garments with 
short sleeves shall not wear the same, unless they 
cover the arm to the wrist ; and hereafter, no person 
whatever shall make any garment for women with 
sleeves more than half an ell wide," (twenty-two and 
a half inches.) 

Denial of the Scriptures as a rule of life was 
punishable with whipping. If any" " Christian, so 
called," spoke contemptuously of the Scripture, or 
of the holy penmen thereof, they were to be pun- 
ished by fine or whipping. 

Laws were also passed punishing those who vio- 
lated the Sabbath — who neglected public worship — 
who behaved contemptuously towards the minister, 
the preaching, or the ordinances — who endeavored 
to subvert the Christian faith by broaching danger- 
ous heresies — who were guilty of drunkenness, of 
gambling with cards, dice, " cross and pile, or any 
unlawful game wherein there is a lottery," or of 
charging too much profit on articles they sold. 
These laws were not dead letters. It appears as if 
they were not enacted until there was occasion for 
them, and then they were carried into execution. 
We accordingly find that Stephen Hopkins was 
complained of for selling beer at twopence a quart, 
wliich was worth only a penny. Thomas Clark, for 
selhng a pair of boots and spurs for fifteen shillings, 
for which he gave but ten, was fined thirty shillings. 



MISS BOULTON IN THE STOCKS. 205 

J. B. was complained of for buying rye at four shil- 
lings per bushel, and selling it at five shillings. He 
was also presented for selling thread at five shillings 
per pound. The Pilgrims were unwilling that any 
one should charge an exorbitant profit on what they 
sold. To a fair remuneration from business they 
had no objection. They were especially opposed to 
forestalling. 

Nathaniel Bassett and Joseph Prior entered into 
a church at Duxbury, and disturbed the meeting. 
They were tried for their offence, and, at the next 
town meeting, or training day, both were fastened to 
a post, in some conspicuous place, having upon their 
heads a paper, on which their crime was written in 
large letters. A Miss Boulton was guilty of slander. 
The court condemned her to the humiliating punish- 
ment of sitting in the stocks, with a paper fastened to 
her, written with capital letters, probably containing 
her crime. John Phillips, for drinking tobacco in the 
highway, that is, for smoking there, was fined twelve 
shillings. S. H., for carrying a grist of corn from 
the mill on Sunday, was sentenced to a fine of 
twenty shillings, or to be whipped. And W. F., for 
permitting him to take it from the mill, was fined ten 
shilhngs. 

J. W. was ordered to be sharply reproved for 
writing a note on common business, on Lord's day. 

John Barnes, for Sabbath-breaking, was sentenced 
18 



206 



EACH TOWN TO PROVIDE STOCKS. 



to a fine of thirty shillings, and to the stocks one 
hour. William Adey, for a similar offence, received 
a severe wliipping at the post. 

In order to be always provided for the immediate 
execution of these minor penalties, it was ordered 
that every constablewick should be provided with a 
pair of stocks, and a cage, of sufficient strength to 
detain a prisoner. These were continued in use, in 
different towns, until w ithin the present half century. 




Prisoners in the Stocks. 

The court authorized Mr. Hatherly to admonish a 
woman, who had been brought before them, " to be 
wary of giving offence to others by unnecessary 
talking." R. B. was summoned to appear and 
answer for speaking contemptuously of psalm sing- 
ing. He was convicted of the offence. The coart 
sharply admonished him, and ordered him to ac- 



LAW CONCERNING BLACKBIRDS. 207 

knowledge his fault, which he promised to do, and was 
discharged. 

Mr. A. H., for making proposals of marriage to a 
young lady. Miss E. P., and prosecuting the same 
contrary to the parents' wishes, and without their 
consent, and " directly contrary to their mind and 
will," was sentenced to a fine of five pounds, and to 
be put under bonds for good behavior, and desist 
the use of any means to obtain or retain her affec- 
tions. The bond stated that, " Whereas the said A, 
H. hath disorderly and unrighteously endeavored to 
obtain the affections of Miss E. P., against the 
mind and will of her parents : if, therefore, the said 
A. H. shall, for the future, refrain and desist the use 
of any means to obtain or retain her affections, as 
aforesaid, and appear at court the first Tuesday of 
July next, and be of good behavior," &c., he shall 
be released. A. H. did " solemnly and seriously en- 
gage before the court, that he will wholly desist, and 
never apply himself for the future, as formerly he 
hath done, to Miss E. P., in reference to marriage." 
He was accordingly released the next .Tuly. 

Women, for abusing their husbands, or striking 
their fathers-in-law, were sentenced to be fined or to 
be whipped at the post. 

In town meeting it was ordered that every man in 
the town procure twelve blackbirds' heads, on pain 
of paying a fine of two shilhngs for every default, 



208 CHURCH AND STATE. 

or twopence apiece for all that fell short of the 
required numbei 

It is difficult for us at the present time fully to 
realize the peculiarity in the practical working of 
their system, arising from the union of church and 
state. The leading men in the government were 
also the influential men of the church. The same act, 
if committed by a member of the church, would be 
an offence against both the church and the govern- 
ment, and might subject the offender to a trial before 
each ; and even then, the same individuals would be his 
judges. In one relation, they would act as govern- 
ment officers ; in the other, as members or officers 
of the church. 

Civil and ecclesiastical relations were so inter- 
laced, that the government not only took the church 
under its protection, but was purposely adjusted to 
meet her wants. To the Puritans, religion was the 
most important of all interests, and civil government 
was valuable in proportion as it secured to them 
their religious privileges. In their view, the church 
was like a magnificent temple, and civil government 
like the scaffolding, useful, mainly, for the assistance 
which it rendered towards the erection and preser- 
vation of that temple. Hence their various legal 
enactments respecting the constitution of churches, 
the erection of places of worship, and the support 
of the ministry. 



WHALES AND MINISTERS. 209 

No new colony was allowed to be planted unless 
enough joined in it to form a congregation for the 
observance of public worship ; and tlien the people, 
if they refused to sitj^port their minister voluntarily, 
were by law assessed, in proportion to their abilities, 
for his maintenance. For a number of years, these 
church rates were collected by thq minister himself; 
but as this proved troublesome to the pastor, and 
gave occasion for prejudice against him, it was 
enacted, in 1670, that two persons should be ap- 
pointed to perform this duty. If the people refused 
payment, the rates were to be obtained by distraint 
upon their estates. 

Occasionally, whales used to be driven ashore 
and die, when the people would obtain from them 
their oil. It was enacted at an early period, that 
when such an incident occurred, or when any whale 
was cut up at sea, and brought on shore, one full 
hogshead of oil should be paid to the county. The 
court also proposed, as a " thing very commendable 
and beneficial to the towns where God's providence 
shall cast any whales, if they should agree to set 
apart some portion of every ^uch fish or oil for the 
encouragement of an able, godly ministry." It is 
not improbable that this singular provision was sug- 
gested by the fa«t, that, in ancient times, a whale 
had been employed for the preservation of a prophet 
of the Lord. A law was also passed, preventing 
18* 



210 LAWS CONCERNING CHILDREN, ETC. 

any pastor or teacher from leaving his church before 
his complaint had been made known to the magis- 
trates, and they had given both sides a hearing. If 
the difficulty was owing to the hearers of such min- 
ister, the magistrates were to use all " gentle means 
to upbraid them to do their duty therein." If these 
were unsuccessful, they were then authorized to 
employ such other measures " as may put them 
upon their duty." 

In 1675, it was enacted that a meeting-house 
should be erected in every town in the jurisdiction 
of the colony. If any town neglected to obey this 
law, then the governor or the magistrates should 
appoint persons to build it, according to the wants 
and the wealth of the people, and charge the ex- 
pense of it to the inhabitants and proprietors of the 
town, by whom it should be paid. 

Parents were required to see that their children 
were taught to read the Scriptures, and to recite 
some short, orthodox catechism, without book ; and 
also, that they were brought up to some honest 
calling, that would make them useful to themselves 
and their country. 

The towns were advised to obtain a schoolmaster 
to " train up children to reading and writing." A 
free school was established, at an expense of thirty- 
three pounds a year, which expense was to be paid 
out of the profits of the Cape Cod fishery. 



CHARACTER OF THEIR LAWS. 21 T 

When danger was apprehended from the Indians, 
every one that went to meeting on Lord's day was 
ordered to take arms, and at least six charges of 
powder and shot, under a penalty of two shillings 
for every omission. At the same time, it was en- 
acted that whosoever " shall shoot off any gun on any 
unnecessary occasion, or at any game whatsoever, 
except at an Indian or a wolf, shall forfeit five shil- 
hngs for every such shot, till further liberty shall be 
given." 

The enactments which we have now given are 
sufficient to evince the spirit and character of our 
Pilgrim fathers. Although some of their laws ar- 
rest the attention by their singularity, yet their 
code, as a whole, was adapted to secure a higher 
moral character to their community than would have 
been attained by the adoption of the then existing 
laws of any other people. With reference to many 
subjects, they made the Bible the basis of their 
legislation. They adopted not a few of the moral 
precepts and the penalties of Moses. It is this 
which gives an appearance of religious affectation, 
and even of bigotry, to some of their requirements. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

" Between the acting of a dreadful thing, 
And the first motion, all the interim is 
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream ; 
The genius and the mortal instruments 
Are then in council ; and the state of man, 
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then 
The nature of an insurrection." — Shakspeare. 

Fifty Years of Peace. — New Settlements. — Converted Indians. 

— Native Preachers. — Philip and the Button. — Indian Magis- 
trates. — Indian Warrant. — Alexander succeeds Massasoit. — 
Suspicions against him. — His Death. — Philip becomes Grand 
Sachem. — Pursues John Gibbs for reviling the Dead. — His 
Alliance with the Narragansetts. — He desires Revenge. — Or- 
dered to come to Plymouth. — Declines. — Invites the Governor 
to come to him. — They meet at Taunton. — Singular Scene in 
a Church. — The Treaty. — Indignant Sachem. — Treaty vio- 
lated. — Conference at Plymouth. — Indian Confederacy. — 
Philip's deep Plot against the English. — Their Security. — Phil- 
ip angry with Sassamon. — The latter flees to the English. — The 
Plot revealed. — Sassamon missing. — Philip again examined. 

— No Confession. — Suspicions increase. 

After the successful attack of Captain Standish 
upon the Massachusetts Indians at Weymouth, no 
other attempts were made against the English by 
the natives for a period of fifty years. During 
this tim.e, such was the mutual confidence which 
was cherished between the two parties, that they 
not only interchanged visits, and travelled fearlessly 
through each other's respective jurisdictions, but 



PRAYING INDIANS. 213 

Indians dwelt in the colony, and were subject to 
English laws. 

New EngUsh settlements were- formed in various 
parts of the different colonies in Massachusetts Bay, 
on the Connecticut River, and in the neighborhood 
of Rhode Island. Efforts had also been success- 
ful for the instruction and conversion of the natives. 
Indian churches had been formed at Provincetown, 
Eastham, Wellfieet, Chatham, Yarmouth, Barn- 
stable, Sandwich, Wareham, Middleborough, and 
Marshpee. These were the fruits of the Christian 
zeal and indefatigable perseverance of Richard 
Bourne, of Sandwich. Through his patient labors, 
many of these Indians could read and write their 
own language. They had also received consider- 
able knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures. Four of 
them had made sucli progress in Christian knowl- 
edge, that they were approbated as preachers to 
their own tribes, and labored as Mr. Bourne's 
assistants. In 1685, there were fourteen hundred 
and thirty-nine converted Indians in the colony. 
They were generally called " praying Indians." 

Conversions were effected at Martha's Vineyard 
and Nantucket, through the instrumentality of 
Thomas Mayhew. So successful were the mis- 
sionary efforts of this man of God, that on the 
Island of Martha's Vineyard, six meetings were 
held in different places, every Sabbath. There 



214 



PHILIP AND THE BUTTON. 



were ten native preachers, who, according to May- 
hew's testimony, were of "good knowledge and 
holy conversation." Nearly all the natives in the 
colony of Massachusetts had embraced Christianity. 
They had been favored with the instructions of the 
apostle Eliot. Many of the natives resisted all at- 
tempts at their conversion. Massasoit, though a firm 
friend to the English, obstinately refused to abandon 
the religion of liis fathers. Philip, his son, on one 
occasion, after listening to the religious exhortation 
and reasonings of Eliot, took that apostle by the 
button, and said, »' I care no more for the gospel than 
you do for that button." This M^as the feeling of 
a large number. The Narragansetts went so far as 
actually to prohibit the preaching of the gospel 
within their borders. 

After the Indians had been suitably instructed, 
some of the more intelligent and energetic of them 
received appointments to different offices, as petty 
judges, or as constables. With such commissions 
they were liighly pleased, and sometimes would dis- 
charge their official duty with amusing formahty 
The following warrant, directed to an Indian con- 
stable, was issued by one of these native magistrates. 
It furnishes an example of sententious brevity, in 
wide contrast with the verbosity of more civiUzed 
legal formulas. : — 

» I, Hihoudi, you, Peter Waterman, Jeremy Wick- 



ALEXANDER AND PHILIP. 315 

et, quick you take him, fast you hold him, straight 
you bring him before me. Hihoudi." 

After the death of Massasoit, his son, Alexander, 
became his successor. His career, however, was 
short. The English were informed that he was 
plotting their destruction. He was, therefore, or- 
dered to come to Plymouth and answer this 
charge. He promised to comply, but did not. His 
refusal, which involved a violation of his promise, 
strengthened the suspicions against him. The gov- 
ernor ordered Major Josiah Winslow to take a com- 
pany of armed men, and bring him to Plymouth. 
This posse set out and fortunately came upon Alex- 
ander, with a small party of his men, when they 
were busily engaged in eating. They were in a 
house, or tent, and their guns carelessly left on the 
outside. Winslow first secured their guns, and then, in 
the name of the government of Plymouth, ordered the 
chief to accompany him to the colony. He consented 
and went, but was soon after taken sick, and died. 

He was succeeded by his brother Philip, as grand 
sachem of the Pokanoket, or Wampanoag Indians. 
His residence was at Mount Hope, which is supposed 
to be a corruption of Montaup. He, and also his 
brother before him, renewed the alliance of friend- 
ship with the English, which their father had origi- 
nally made. It is related of him, that in 1665 he 
went to Nantucket with liis braves, for the purpose 



216 INDIAN LAW. 

of killing an Indian who had spoken contemptuously 
of Massasoit, his father, as it was a law among 
them that whoever reviled the dead should suffer 
death. The offender was one John Gibbs, a " praying 
Indian " and Christian preacher, whose church num- 
bered about thirty members. Gibbs, being informed 
by a friend of Philip's design, fled. Philip caught 
a sight of the fugitive, and followed him through the 
town, from house to house, until Gibbs leaped a high 
bank, eluded his sight, and made his escape. When 
the English in the place were informed of the facts, 
they sought an interview with the offended chief. 
They were anxious to save the life of the offender. 
As, however, the offence was regarded as a grave 
affair by the Indians, Philip refused to return until 
the English agreed to ransom the criminal for 
nineteen shillings, that being all the money there was 
oil the island. He then returned home satisfied. 

Philip frequently visited Plymouth. He became 
well acquainted with the inhabitants, traded with 
them, and exchanged hospitalities. Yet it is sup- 
posed that all tliis time the insult which had been 
offered to his brother Alexander was rankling in his 
heart, and calling for revenge. 

In addition to the supposed injury done to Alex- 
ander, as Philip was in general alliance with the 
Narragansetts, he must have sympathized with them 
in the aggressions wliich were, from time to time, 



PHILIP BECOMES QUARRELSOME. 217 

made upon them by the EngHsh. Between them 
and the colonists difficulties had repeatedly occurred. 
To Philip, it appeared that, in these difficulties, his 
Indian friends were wronged. He espoused their 
side, and no donbt labored to deepen their sense of 
injury from the whites. As at that time there seems 
to have been, among the Narragansetts, no chief who 
had supreme command over the whole tribe, although 
there were several sachems who had their respective 
followers, they were the more willing to avail them- 
selves of the prowess and skill of Philip, to manage 
for them their cause. These two things — the treat- 
ment of Alexander and of the Narragansetts by the 
English — are believed to have been the original causes 
of Philip's bloody war. 

In 1671, he began to manifest a quarrelsome dis- 
position. He complained of English encroachments. 
His followers frequently met together, repaired their 
muskets, sharpened their tomahawks, and used irri- 
tating language to the English. 

A message was sent to Philip to come to Plym- 
outh and explain his conduct. To this command he 
paid no attention. He afterwards reciprocated this 
courtesy, and invited the governor of Plymouth to 
hol(J a conference with liim. In his reply the gov- 
ernor assured him of his willingness to hold a confer- 
ence, but expected that Philip would come to him 
at Taunton, where he then was. The chief refused. 
19 



21S PHILIP MEETS THE GOVERNOR. 

After considerable negotiation through the medium 
of messengers, one of whom was Roger WilHams, 
PhiHp agreed to meet him at the place designated. 
The conditions on which the chief consented to come 
to Taunton were, that his men should accompany 
him, and that the conference should take place in 
the meeting-house ; the two parties to occupy the 
opposite sides of the house. Here they accordingly 
met. Such a congregation, and for such a purpose, 
had never assembled there before. On one side of 
the church were arrayed the Puritans, with their 
round heads, occasioned by the close cutting of their 
hair, their " formal garb," and their stern, serious 
features ; on the other side were the Indians, with 
their long dark hair streaming over their shoulders 
or down their backs, arrayed in skins, blankets, and 
calicoes, and decorated in taudry style, with beads, 
wampum, feathers, and various gay colors. It was 
a scene of singular appearance. If the agreement 
then formed had been faithfully fulfilled, it would 
have been a conference of great importance, and 
would have prevented the shedding of much blood. 

Philip denied the charges which were brought against 
him, and said that his warlike preparations were in- 
tended for an attack upon the Narragan setts. But w^ien 
it was shown that he was on more friendly rela- 
tions with the Narragansetts than usual, and that he 
had arranged plans of attack upon Seekonk, Taun- 



Philip's confession. 219 

ton, and some other towns, he saw that his conspiracy 
was discovered, and that there was no way of dis- 
proving it. Up to tliis time he had managed every 
thing with so much secrecy, that he had not the least 
suspicion that his plot was detected. He was there- 
fore confounded when the English brought forward 
their evidence against him. Knowing that it would 
be just for them to punish him for his treachery, and 
fearing, perhaps, that they might execute summary 
vengeance upon him, he willingly consented to sign 
a document, containing a confession of his guilt, a 
renewal of his allegiance to the English, and a readi- 
ness to dehver up all his English weapons into their 
hands, to be kept as long as they should think it 
necessary. When the Indians understood the terms 
of liis submission, one of his sachems was so indig- 
nant at liis cowardice, that he angrily threw his 
weapons on the ground, abandoned his cause forever, 
and immediately identified liimself with the Puritans, 
to whom he continued a faithful adlierent during the 
whole of this sanguinary war. 

After the negotiations were over, and the parties 
had separated, Philip failed to comply with the 
terms imposed upon him. He sent in no weapons. 
The truth is, he had no intention to. He signed that 
submission only to save his life. Once free from the 
English, he thought of liis promise no more. Chiefs 
and braves of other tribes now united mth him. His 



220 ANOTHER TREATY. 

conduct continuing suspicious, the colony of Plym- 
outh summoned him again to appear there. They 
also sent word to the colony of Massachusetts of what 
they had done, and stated that if Philip did not ap- 
pear, and the government of Massachusetts did not 
satisfactorily account for liis refusal, force would be 
used to compel his attendance ;' and, as it was com- 
mon cause, Massachusetts ought to unite with them ; 
but if they refused, then Plymouth would enter upon 
the contest alone. The same day on which that 
letter reached Boston, Phihp himself arrived there. 
He succeeded in convincing the government there 
that he cherished no unfriendly designs against 
Plymouth. They proposed to Plymouth that the 
difficulties should be referred, for adjustment to com- 
missioners, to be appointed by the governments of 
Massachusetts and Connecticut. After some hesita- 
tion, this plan was acceded to, and the commissioners 
appeared at Plymoutli, where Philip also presented 
himself The result of this conference was another 
treaty, in which Philip promised to pay the govern- 
ment of Plymouth one hundred pounds of such things 
as he had ; to refer all differences between his people 
and the English to the Plymoutli government, and 
not to engage in any war without their approbation. 
After tliis, no cqUision occurred between the two 
parties for three years. Yet Philip was not subdued, 
neither did he rehnquish his murderous designs 



Philip's secret operations. 221 

against the English. During these three years of 
apparent friendhness, he was engaged in bringing 
about a confederacy of all the Indian tribes in New 
England, for the purpose of an entire extermination 
of the Enghsli colonies. To accomplish this, he had 
to perform the difficult task of terminating quarrels 
of long standing between different tribes ; of allay- 
ing the enmity between different chiefs ; of answering 
objections, removing difficulties, and effecting a har- 
monious union between elements of the most discord- 
ant nature. Yet all this he had the consummate 
address successfnlly to accomplish. During all this 
period, while the train was being prepared for a ter- 
rific explosion, the English were kept in profound 
ignorance. Philip was strengthening his forces, 
multiplying' his alliances, and extending his plan of 
operations, whilst those who were to be his victims 
were lulled into a sense of perfect security by his 
peaceful appearance and his false professions of 
friendship. Had his treachery been kept concealed 
until the time appointed for the attack upon the col- 
onies, which was the spring of 1676, we know not 
how the entire overthrow of the English plantations 
could have been prevented. But this was not to be. 
The vine which had been brought out of Egypt, and 
transplanted into this distant soil, was under the pro- 
tection of an omniscient and all-powerful Friend : no 
evils plotted against it were unknown to him — no 
19* 



222 SECRETARY SASSAMON. 

power opposed to it which he could not defeat 
Though now, the boar out of the wood and the wild 
beasts of the field were intent upon devouring it, yet 
his hand held them in check as with bit and bridle, 
and his providence led to a discovery of the dangers 
which encompassed it. 

Among the confidential Indians of Philip was one 
John Sassamon, whom he employed as his secretary. 
By some offence, this individual aroused the anger 
of Philip. He had previously been under the in- 
struction of EUot, and was professedly converted to 
the Christian faith. But after residing a while with 
Philip, he abandoned his profession. Having of- 
fended his chief, and fearing his anger, he fled to his 
old friend, Eliot. The venerable missionary received 
him with his accustomed kindness, and entered into 
conversation with him respecting his religious state. 
His pious heart earnestly longed to see the apostate 
take his old place, and manifest his former religious 
interest among the " praying Indians." His faithful 
and affectionate labors for the restoration of the 
prodigal were crowned with success. " After many 
professions of repentance, he was again baptized and 
received into full communion." 

It was so ordered by a wise Providence, that the 
Indian who was, in tliis maimer, obliged to flee from 
home, was acquainted with both the designs and the 
plans of Philip. Being now fully devoted to the in- 



FEARFUL DISCLOSURE. 223 

terests of the English, Sassamon, in a secret manner, 
made known to the governor of Plymouth PhiUp's 
treachery, at the same time informing him, that if 
Philip should ever learn that he had betrayed him, it 
would cost him his life. After the reception of this 
fearful intelligence, Philip and some of liis tribe were 
examined ; but as they made no confessions, and as 
no positive evidence was brought against them, they 
were discharged, — not, however, without having the 
suspicions against them greatly strengthened. It was 
not long before poor Sassamon mysteriously disap- 
peared — in what manner will be related in the next 
chapter. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

* His savage hordes the murderous Philip leads, 
Files through the woods, and treads the tangled weeds ; 
Shuns open combat, teaches where to run. 
Skulk, couch the ambush, aim the hunters' gun, 
Whirl the sly tomahawk, the war-whoop sing. 
Divide the spoils, and pack the scalps they bring." — Barlow. 

Harvard Colleg-e. — Indian Students. — Sassamon. — Search for 
him. — His Body found. — Murderers arrested and executed. — 
Philip enraged. — Preparations for Conflict. — Bold Language. — 
Opinion respecting the first Fire. — Indians pant for Plunder. — 
The War begun. — English killed on Fast Day. — Excitement 
in the Colonies. — Enlisting Recruits in Boston. — Bridgewater 
Horsemen. — People driven from their burning Houses. — The 
English surprised and slain. — Affecting Scene. — Philip pur- 
sued. — Found at Dinner. — Escapes. — Mutilated Englishmen. 
— Fuller's narrow Escape. — Church's brave Adventure. — 
Golding's timely Arrival. — Marvellous Preservation. — Church's 
Visit to the Spring amidst a Shower of Balls. 

Previous to the events contained in the last chap- 
ter, Harvard College had been founded, conse- 
crated to Christ and his church. Efforts were early 
made to induce some of the Indian youtli to prepare 
to enter. These efforts were not favored with much 
success. The restraints of a student's life were not 
at all in harmony with the freedom of their early 
habits. They greatly preferred to be rambling the 
fields and woods, with their bow and arrows, for 
game, or paddling their light bark canoes over the 
water for fish, or spending their time in idle talk, or 



SASSAMON MISSING. 225 

useless sports, to the stillness, confinement, and mo- 
notony of intellectual pursuits. Yet, now and then 
one could be induced to enter ; among these was 
Sassamon. He received a tolerable education, was 
well acquainted with the English language, and had 
been employed as a preacher among the Indians, and 
as a teacher of their youth. Soon after the disclo- 
sures which Sassamon made to the governor of Plym- 
outh, he was missing ! When he left, or where he 
had gone, no one knew. Fears were entertained 
for liis safety. It was suspected that he had been 
murdered. His friends commenced a thorough 
search for him. Every cave, brook, woods, or dark 
corner, where they imagined it was possible for him 
to be concealed, was closely examined. It was not 
long before they got upon his track. A hat and 
gun, wliich were recognized as his, were found upon 
a frozen pond in Middleborough. Tliis led to a 
close examination of the pond itself. Under the ice 
was discovered the body of a man. Being drawn 
ashore, it was found to be Sassamon himself. It 
was evident, from bruises upon him, that he had not 
died by simply falling through the ice. Cotton 
Mather states that the neck was broken. Still, he 
was buried by his friends. But when the appear- 
ance of the body was made known to the governor 
of Plymouth, he, recollecting the fears which Sassa- 
mon had expressed respecting himself, gave orders 



226 HIS BODY FOUNT). 

to have his body exhumed and examined. It was 
done ; and bruises enough were found upon him to 
have caused death without drowning. An Indian 
now acknowledged that he saw him murdered, but 
had not made the disclosure, for fear he should lose 
his own life. The accused persons were appre- 
hended, removed to Plymouth, and tried. The jury 
consisted of twelve Englishmen, and four grave, 
impartial, judicious Indians. The criminals, being 
three in number, were all convicted, and paid the 
penalty of death. Dr. I. Mather says, that " when 
Tobias, one of the culprits, came near the body, it 
fell a bleeding on fresh, as it had been newly slain ; 
albeit it was buried a considerable time before that." 
A notion, which we cannot help characterizing as 
superstitious, prevailed at that time, that when a 
murderer touched or approached a body which he 
had slain, the wounds would send forth fresh blood. 
Whether this phenomenon, stated by Mather, had 
any effect with the jury, we know not. At the 
present day, it would be discarded. One of the 
criminals confessed the murder ; the others, to the 
last, denied all participation and all knowledge of it. 
PhiUp was greatly enraged at the execution, and 
longed for the hour of revenge. He had succeeded 
in forming an alliance with a number of tribes, the 
young men of which were anxious for plunder, 
scalps, and war. Whilst both parties were pre- 



HIS JIUKDERERS PUNISHED. 227 

paring for the approaching bloody conflict, tJie 
governor of Massachusetts sent a messenger to 
Phihp, to ask his reasons for mshing to make war 
with the English, and also to invite him to enter 
into a new treaty. The bold chieftain of the forests 
sent back by the messenger this independent reply : 
" Your governor is but a subject of King Charles of 
England. I shall not treat with a 'subject. I shall 
treat of peace only with the king, my brother. 
When he comes, I am ready." Professing to be a 
king, he would negotiate only with a king. 

As Philip's designs had been disclosed to the 
English, he was unable to consummate all the 
arrangements which he had contemplated prior to 
the open development of his plans. It was his 
intention that the first intelligence .of his murderous 
object should have reached the English through the 
sharp crack of his musket, and the red glare of 
their burning dwellings. As it was, he was obliged 
to commence the war prematurely, and under great 
disadvantages. A notion prevailed among the In- 
dians, that the party who should begin hostilities by 
firing the first gun would be defeated. It was their 
policy, therefore, to insult and irritate the English, 
so that they might give the first fire. Philip had 
gathered such large numbers of Indians of different 
tribes around him, who were panting for scalps and 
plunder, and who were nourishing their warlike 



228 THE FIRST GUN. 

aspirations by the recital of the deeds of blood of 
their fathers, that it was difficult to prevent them 
from rushing upon the Puritans, and murdering 
them whenever they had opportunity. He finally 
consented that they might kill the cattle of the 
EngUsh, and rob them of their property. After 
receiving this permission, they prowled around the 
people of Swans*ey, killed their cattle, plundered 
their houses, and menaced them with insulting lan- 
guage. An Englishman was so indignant at their 
conduct, that, under the impulse of his excited feel- 
ings, he seized his musket, fired, and wounded an 
Indian. This was just what the savages wanted — 
what they had been endeavoring to provoke. The 
foreigners had fired the first gun : they were the 
party to be defeated. The report of that musket 
was the signal for attack, whenever and wherever 
the English could be found. It was upon a day of 
" public humiliation, fasting, and prayer " that this 
dreadful tragedy began. 

The echo of this " first gun " had scarcely died 
away, before the Indians had prepared themselves to 
give the Puritans, on their return from meeting, a 
warm reception. When they made their appear- 
ance, and came witliin reach of the guns, the sav- 
ages fired upon them, killing one and wounding 
two ! Two others, who were going after a physi- 
cian, were also met and slain. In another part of 



GREAT EXCITEMENT. 229 

the town six more were overtaken, and fell a sac- 
rifice to the vengeance of the Indians the same day. 
This little, isolated band of settlers were filled with 
consternation. They were separated so far from 
Plymouth and Boston, that if the Indians were to. 
come down upon them in overwhelming numbers, 
they could exterminate the whole before help could 
possibly arrive. They immediately, however, sent 
off couriers to the parent settlements. These mes- 
sengers, filled with anxiety and sorrow,* hastened on 
with as much rapidity as was consistent with vigi 
lance and safety. When they arrived and commu- 
nicated the sad intelligence, it produced great com- 
motion. It was understood to be the breaking out 
of a bloody Indian war. The drums beat ; recruits 
were ordered ; and at Boston, in the space of three 
hours, one hundred and ten men enlisted, under the 
command of Captain Samuel Mosely. There were 
also about a dozen privateers who accompanied 
them, taking with them several dogs. These dogs 
proved of considerable service in discovering the 
hiding-places of the Indians. One of them assisted 
in supplying the party with meat, by going out for 
several days in succession, and bringing in from six 
to ten pigs belonging to Philip's herds. 

At Plymouth, the governor gave orders that 
twenty horsemen, well armed, .should be raised in 
Bridgewater, and proceed at once to Swansey. It 
20 



230 AN INDIAN SURPRISE. 

was done. On their way to the scene of action, 
they met the terrified people who had been driven 
from their burning houses, and were fleeing in dis- 
may, "wringing their hands, and bewaihng theit 
losses." 

Before the help arrived, the inhabitants of Svvan- 
sey and Rehoboth had collected together in three 
houses, taking mth them such provision as they 
were able to collect in haste. Here were gathered 
men, women, and children. The husbands, fathers, 
and friends of some of them had been slain. They 
were in deep distress, and trembling with apprehen- 
sion lest greater calamities would befall them. They 
were not mistaken. A company of the men left 
the little garrison, and, taking with them some carts, 
went to a house which had been deserted, in order 
to get a quantity of corn, which had there been left. 
They were met by a friend, who advised them to 
return, as the Indians were on the alert, and would 
probably attack them. Paying no attention to this 
judicious advice, they pressed on, were surprised by 
a band of natives, fired upon, and six were either 
killed on the spot, or mortally wounded ! The 
report of the guns was heard at the garrison. It 
came hke the knell of death. They feared that 
some were killed ; but who, they were yet to learn. 
The soldiers immediately hastened to the spot ; but 
when they arrived, the Indians had scattered and 



PHILIP PURSUED. 231 

disappeared like the smoke of their muskets. When 
the soldiers returned, bringing the wounded and the 
dead with them, and wives, children, and friends 
gathered in agony around the bleeding or lifeless 
bodies of those whom they loved, it added greatly to 
the horrors of their condition. They remained there 
until reenforcements arrived, when they were safely 
conducted to Rhode Island. 

Soldiers were now sent off in pursuit of Philip, 
as he was the evil genius of the war. They came 
upon him so suddenly as to iind him at his dinner. 
Without stopping to apologize, he arose and fled. 
The soldiers pursued him with such vigor, that 
he lost his cap, which fell into the hands of one of 
the pursuers. In this hot and rapid chase, fifteen or 
more of his adherents were shot. When the pur- 
suers returned, they took all his cattle, swine and 
corn, and disposed of them at their pleasure. Their 
joy, however, over the recent success was checked, 
Avhen they discovered the heads of eight English- 
men, who had been slain, fixed upon poles. They 
removed them, and gave them an interment. In 
some instances, other parts of the mutilated bodies 
were also found. They now explored the country 
around Philip's residence. They found the houses 
of the English burnt, their property plundered, and 
their blood shed, where any of them had, unfortu- 
nately, been found by the savages. When they 



232 FULLER ATTACKED. 

came upon any Indians, a skirmish ensued, and 
the savages were repulsed. After a thorough ex- 
ploration of the woods and swamps around Mount 
Hope, they were satisfied that Philip had fled. Be- 
lieving they should find him at Pocasset, they 
went thither. There a party of the English, under 
Captain Fuller, were attacked by a much larger 
company of the enemy. The English retreated 
hastily to the sea-shore, took possession of a house 
near the water, from which they successfully em- 
barked in a sloop, and escaped to Rhode Island. 
Captain Church, who had accompanied them, passed 
down into a point of land, a^ the south of Tiverton, 
where he came upon a body of several hundred 
savages, who attacked him with great fury. The 
desire of the Indians was to surround them, when, 
in all probability, they would have cut them entirely 
"off. As soon as Church discovered their design, he 
gave orders to retreat to the shore. This movement 
finally resulted in the deliverance of his little gallant 
band, who numbered less than twenty. With the 
water before them, and hundreds of their enraged 
enemies in pursuit, it appeared as if nothing remained 
for them but to part with their lives as dearly as pos- 
sible. The Indians had taken shelter behind every 
tree, bush, fence, or rock, from which they poured 
their fire into the English. Church, being a man of 
great courage, was successful in imparting something 



CHURCH S ADVENTURE. ^33 

of the same spirit to his disheartened men. They 
got behind piles of stones, and experienced many 
narrow escapes. Orders had been given for boats 
to attend them ; but they run aground, and so could 
not extend any relief. Finally one got afloat, and 
approached towards them. As they saw it advancing, 
their hopes of deliverance revived. The Indians 
saw it also, and by firing at it, kept it at such a dis- 
tance as to be of no service. Church gave them 
orders to get out of the reach of the muskets, and 
then send their canoe to take them on board. But 
the men being fearful to do even this, Church, under 
apparently feehngs of great irritation, ordered them 
off, or he would fire upon them. They obeyed, and 
left the English in greater peril than before. After 
the boat left, the Indians were encouraged, and 
poured in their balls "thicker and faster than before." 
The sun was now nearly set, the gloom of evening 
was arriving, the ammunition of the English was 
nearly gone, the men exhausted with hunger, excite- 
ment, and fighting, whilst the Indians had succeeded 
in getting possession of a stone house, in which they 
were sheltered. Down to the present time not one 
of the English had been shot. Just before dark a 
sloop made her appearance. Church told the men 
to hold on, for relief was at hand. He informed 
them that the captain of the sloop was named Gold- 
ing, " whom he knew to be a man for business.'* 
30* 



234 BRAVERY OF CHURCH. 

He was right. When Goldmg arrived, he at once 
sent his canoe ashore ; but it proved to be such a 
diminutive affair that only two could embark in it. 
As, however, there were no other means of escape, 
the retreat was made in tliis. As the English passed 
to and fro, between the sloop and the shore, the In- 
dians kept up their fire upon them. After Church 
had seen all the others on board, he embarked him- 
self. The balls whistled around him; one grazed 
his head ; two others entered the canoe, and another 
was buried in a stake, which was just " in front of 
the middle of his breast." The battle had continued 
six hours, during which a number of the Indians 
were killed ; but, as a kind Providence would have it, 
the English were marvellously preserved. So effect- 
ually had the enemy fired upon the sloop, that her 
sails, colors, and stern were full of holes. 

Church was a brave man, and exhibited on that 
day feats of noble daring. During the fight, being 
extremely thirsty, he lefl his shelter, and went fear- 
lessly to a spring and drank ; as he returned, he left 
his hat and cutlass behind him. Towards the even- 
ing, when the retreat was made, he remembered 
these forgotten articles, and being unwilhng that the 
savages should get them, and glory over them as 
tropliies, he went out again, mth his musket pre-^ 
sented, to obtain them. When the Indians saw it, 
they let fly a volley of balls upon him ; but he pressed 



CHURCH ESCAPES. 235 

on, secured the desired articles, returned and took 
liis seat in the canoe, without receiving a single 
wound. 

After these adventures, the companies under 
Church and Fuller were again united. 



CHAPTER XX. 



Cold with the beast he slew, he sleeps • 

O'er him no filial spirit weeps 

E'en that he lived is for his conqueror's tongue ; 

By foes alone his death-song must be sung ; 

No chronicles but theirs shall tell 

His mournful doom to future times ; 
May these upon his virtues dwell, 

And in his fate forget his crimes." — Sprague. 



Philip retreats to a Swamp. — An Ambush. — Wigwams found. — 
Philip escapes by Water. — His Route discovered. — Ministers 
fight. — Philip overtaken. — A Battle ensues. — The War be- 
comes general. — Its Consequences. — Disgraceful Conduct to- 
wards the Dartmouth Indians. — Sold into Slavery. — Its Influence 
on other Tribes. — Philip's Ravages in Plymouth. — Retreats 
tea Swamp. — The Swamp surrounded. — Philip shot. — The 
Enemy routed. — The Gun preserved. — Philip beheaded and 
quartered. — His Head and Hand preserved. — Bitter Spirit of 
the English. — His Head exposed many Years. 

After the engagements which were mentioned in 
the last chapter, the courage of the English was in- 
creased. They desired to follow after Philip until 
they found him. Church went to Narraganset, ob- 
tained some more men, returned and found Philip, 
with whom he had an encounter, and slew fifteen of 
his men. Philip then retreated into a great swamp, 
near Taunton River. He was pursued by the Eng- 
lish, who penetrated into the swamp, w^iere they 
were drawn into an ambush. The wily savages 



PHILIP SURROUNDED. 237 

fired upon them from behind trees, bushes, and other 
places of conceahnent ; and five, some accounts 
say fifteen, men were slam. Near the edge of tliis 
swamp a hundred wigwams were found, made of 
green bark. They attempted to burn them, but 
could not succeed. In one of them was an old 
Indian, who informed them that Pliilip was con- 
cealed in the swamp. This intelligence prompted 
them to greater exertions. But as night was ap- 
proaching, and friend could not be told from foe, 
the English retreated, taking their dead and wounded 
with them. As it was, it is not impossible that they 
mistook friends for enemies, and thus killed some of 
their own company. Doctor Mather says, " It is 
verily feared that the English themselves did unhap- 
pily shoot Englishmen instead of Indians." 

The forces of the English were now divided. A 
portion of them remained to watch Philip in the 
swamp, and starve liim into submission. They in- 
vested the swamp thirteen days, during which time 
Philip and his men were diligently employed in 
making bark canoes. At the end of this period, he 
and his warriors succeeded in making their escape 
by water, which bounded a portion of the great 
swamp. In effecting this flight, they probably used 
the canoes which they had made during their impris- 
onment. Their women and children they left be- 
hind, as they knew it was the custom of the Enghsh * 



238 PHILIP ESCAPES. 

to treat such with kindness. A broken, hilly country 
affords special facilities for the concealment of a re- 
treating army. By following- the course of the val- 
leys, and sending their scouts cautiously to the tops 
of the hills, for the purpose of discovering the safest 
route, an escape may readily be secured without de- 
tection. Philip, however, was not favored with such 
a country. The land through which he and his fol- 
lowers were obliged to pass, after crossing Taunton 
River, was level. It aiforded no means of conceal- 
ment, and, consequently, he was discovered. As 
soon as his course was known, Rev. Mr. Newman, 
of Rehoboth, called upon his fellow-townsmen with 
earnestness to pursue him. He set the example 
himself Taking his weapons he sallied out, and, by 
means of spirited addresses, succeeded in diffusing 
something of his OAvn courage into the company 
which followed. It was not unusual in those times, 
when the English were liable to be attacked with 
suddenness, and with overwhelming numbers, for the 
ministers of the Prince of peace to gird on the 
weapons of war, and go out to protect their homes, 
their wives, and their children. Mr. Newman's com- 
pany was joined by a party of fifty Mohegan Indians, 
wiio had offered their services to Massachusetts, and 
were placed under the command of Captain Hench- 
man. The little army hastened on and overtook 
Pliihp about ten o'clock, A. M., on the first of August. 



ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT. 339 

An engagement at once took place. The balls flew 
with fatal effect. Philip brought some of his bravest 
men in the rear so as to be nearest their pursuers, 
by which means many of them were slain, among 
whom was Sachem Nimrod, called in the Indian 
tongue Woonashum, a brave warrior and sagacious 
counsellor. For some cause which has not been sat- 
isfactorily explained, the fight suddenly terminated, 
and the pursuit was stopped. It was said, at the 
time, that some of the Mohegans found a -quantity 
of plunder, and whilst they stopped to load them- 
selves with it, Philip made his escape. The extreme 
heat of the weather has been assigned as another 
reason ; neither of which are satisfactory. Had 
PhiUp at that time been closely pursued, the war 
might have been terminated in a short period, and 
many lives saved. The Indians were now every 
where in arms against the English. Men left their 
homes in the morning to work in the fields, and 
never returned alive. They were shot down by 
some invisible foe. Women, left at home, were 
assaulted by bands of prowling Indians, and after 
submitting to every species of brutal insult, were 
butchered in cold blood. The darkness of the 
night would be suddenly lighted up by the glare of 
theii- burning barns. If the owners left their house 
to extinguish it or to save their cattle, they would be 
met by the fatal ball. Not satisfied with burning 



•240 



DABTMOUTH INDIANS. 



barns, or killing cattle, they would kindle dwelling- 
houses, and then shoot the inhabitants as they at- 
tempted to escape. Tlie dwellings of the English 
were every where barricaded, and put in as strong 
a state of defence as possible. Still the Indians 
were greatly successful. Not only were the isolated 
houses consumed, and the famihes slain, but town 
after town fell before them, and the inhabitants 
slaughtered without mercy. 

As the seat of war was now transferred from the 
limits of Plymouth colony, we must reserve the 
further accounts of it until we take up the histories 
of the colonies into which it was removed. 

We have reserved till now the recital of an act of 
deception, perfidy, and cruelty on the part of the 
English, which has justly brought upon them eternal 
disgrace. Soon after the breaking out of the war, 
the town of Dartmouth was destroyed, and many 
of the inhabitants slain. In tliis destruction and 
slaughter, the Dartmouth Indians had no hand. 
When the Plymouth forces arrived there, they 
opened negotiations with these Indians. By the 
persuasions and promises of Ralph Earl and Captain 
Eels, they yielded themselves prisoners to the Eng- 
lish, and were taken to Plymouth. The question 
was then discussed. What shall be done with them 1 
It was proposed to sell them into slavery ! Against 
this, Eels, Church, and Earl remonstrated in the 



SOLD INTO SLAVERY. 241 

Strongest manner, and dwelt with emphasis on the 
promises they had made the Indians, as an induce- 
ment to submit. Their earnest and solemn protests 
produced no effect. The government, notwithstand- 
ing the inhumanity and wickedness of the act, gave 
orders for the whole of them to be sold into slavery ! 
In compliance with the order, these one hundred 
and sixty Indians were conveyed out of the country. 
Church was so indignant at such perfidious conduct, 
and expressed himself with sucli warmth and bit- 
terness, that the government never forgave him. 

The influence of this act was, as it ought to have 
been, prejudicial to the interests of the Puritans. 
Baylies says : " This mean and treacherous conduct 
alienated all the Indians who were doubting, and 
even those who were strongly disposed to join the 
English." 

After many of the towns in the other colonies had 
been plundered and destroyed, Phihp returned to 
Plymouth, and continued his ravages there. Various 
settlements in the colony were attacked, burnt, and 
the inhabitants slaughtered, with all the cruelties of 
Indian barbarity. Finally, Philip retreated to a 
swamp. This was so completely surrounded by 
English volunteers, under Church, as to cut off all 
possibility of escape. If Philip showed himself at 
the edge, he was immediately driven back by the 
muskets of the Enghsh. Captain Church ordered 
21 



242 DEATH OF PHILIP. 

Golding to enter the swamp. When PhiUp found 
himself closely pursued, he retreated to the other 
side of the swamp ; there he was met by Caleb 
Cook, and a friendly Indian, named Alderman. 
Cook aimed first at Phihp, but his gun only 
snapped. Alderman then levelled his piece, which 
was loaded with two balls, and fired. Philip sprang 
from the ground, and fell upon his face, in the mud 
and water, dead. One of the balls pierced his 
lieart ; the other entered liis lungs. 

The successful champion immediately informed 
Captain Church of Philip's death. Church ordered 
him to keep it secret until they had swejDt the 
swamp clear of the enemy. Tins was soon done. 
The little English band were then assembled to- 
gether at the place where the enemy had spent the 
night, and there Church communicated the welcome 
news of Philip's death, at which the whole company 
gave three loud, hearty cheers. The captain or- 
dered the body of the slain chief to be produced ; 
upon which, some of Church's Indians went to the 
place, seized Phihp by the legs, and drew him 
" through the mud into the upland ; and a doleful, 
great, naked, dirty beast he looked like." 

Thus died King Philip, one of the sons and suc- 
cessors of the great Massasoit, and the most dan- 
gerous enemy with which the New England colonists 
were obliged to contend. 



PHILTP'S HAND. 243 

His body, in accordance with the barbarous cus- 
tom of the times, was beheaded, quartered, and 
exposed as a warning to others. A day of thanks- 
giving for this signal victory was appointed at Plym- 
outh, and on that day the head of Pliihp was taken 
there, accompanied with demonstrations of triumph 
and great joy. It was elevated in a conspicuous 
place, and remained publicly exposed above twenty 
years. 

After the death of Pliihp, Cook persuaded Alder- 
man to exchange guns, so that he might have some 
memento of this great exploit. This gun was pre- 
served in the family until the present century. The 
lock was then removed from it, and given to the 
late Isaac Lothrop, Esq., of Plymouth. The stock 
and barrel of the gun are said to be still in the pos- 
session of Cook's descendants. There is a gun lock 
in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Soci- 
ety, which is said to be the same which belonged to 
the gun when it sent the fatal ball into Pliilip's heart. 
Alderman, being desirous of preserving some trophy 
of his victory for himself, cut off one of Philip's 
hands, which was greatly scarred by the bursting of 
a pistol, preserved it in rum, and afterwards exhib- 
ited it to the people throughout the 'country, for 
which he received a small gratuity. 

During this war, the English manifested a very 
bitter spirit against the Indians. This, of course, 



244 Mather's strong language. 

was to be expected. Dr. Increase Mather, when 
speaking of the benefit of prayer against Phihp, 
says, "Nor could they cease crying to the Lord 
until they had prayed the bullet into liis heart." At 
another time, when speaking of the death of some 
of Philip's people at Narraganset, his language 
was, " We have heard of two and twenty Indian 
captains slain, all of them brought down to hell in 
one day." In the year 1700, he wrote, " It was not 
long before the hand which now writes, upon a cer- 
tain occasion, took off the jaw from the exposed 
skull of that blasphemous leviathan ; and the re- 
nowned Samuel Lee hath since been a pastor to an 
EngUsh congregation, sounding and showing the 
praises of heaven upon that very spot of ground 
where Philip and his Indians were lately worship- 
ping the devil." It would seem, from this, that the 
skull of this famous Indian chieftain was exposed 
about twenty-five years. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

" A valiant man , 

Ought not to undergo or tempt a danger 
But worthily, and by selected ways. 
He undertakes by reason, not by chance." — Ben Jowsoie. 

" The wise and active conquer difficulties, 
By daring to attempt them. Sloth and folly 
Shiver and shrink at sight of toil and hazard, 
And make the impossibility they fear." — Rowe. 

The War not ended. — Annawon holds out. — Prowls around the 
Towais. — Church goes in Pursuit. — Captures a Party of In- 
dians. — Man seeking his Father. — Church discovers a Path. — 
Takes an old Indian and young Girl. — Examines them. — 
Learns Annawon's Retreat. — Old Man becomes Guide. — He 
refuses to fight against his Chief. — Leads them to Annawon's 
Encampment. — High Rock. — Exciting Scene. — Church's 
Stratagem. — Its Execution. — Annawon surprised. — The whole 
Band captured. — Leaders cannot sleep. — Philip's Ornaments 
delivered up. — Church's Anxiety. — Morning. — Prisoners taken 
to Plymouth. — What shall be done with them 1 — Opinion of 
Ministers, — Young Annawon. — Prisoners sold into Slavery. — 
Church opposed to it. 

The death of Philip did not terminate the war. 
Some of the chiefs who had been his adherents 
were disposed to hold out against the English some- 
what longer ; among these, none were more noto- 
rious, or more feared, than Annawon. He was 
bold, cunning, and cruel. He had slain many of 
the EngUsh, some of whom were put to death with 
tortures. Captain Church, having been informed, 
21* 



246 CHURCH SEEKS ANNAWON. 

after the death of PhiUp, that Aimawon was prowl- 
ing around Rehobotli and Swansey, inflicting all the 
injury in his power, and being requested by the 
government to go in pursuit of him, consented. 
His adventures on this occasion are among the most 
remarkable which occurred during tliis memorable 
war. Church took with him Mr. Jabez Rowland, 
another Englishman by the name of Cook, and six 
friendly Indians. This was all the force he had 
with which to conquer some fifty or sixty bold war- 
riors, commanded by one of Philip's bravest and 
most sagacious captains, at a time when they were 
smarting from recent wounds, irritated by their late 
defeat, and burning to revenge the death of their 
recently slaughtered cliief and companions. 

Unmindful of the strength wliich would be ar- 
rayed against them, this little band advanced boldly 
into the enemy's country. It was not long before 
the scouts discovered a party of Annawon's men, 
and captured them. This was an encouraging 
omen. The captain inquired where he would find 
their chief. They gave liim to understand that that 
was a difficult matter ; as, in order to escape detec- 
tion, he changed liis lodgings every night. 

One of the Indians who had accompanied Church 
asked permission to go in search of his father, who 
was in a swamp, only a few miles from the place 
where they then were, with no other company than 



DISCOVERS SOME OF HIS PEOPLE. 247 

a young squaw. Church gave him permission, but 
concluded to go with him, in hopes of getting track 
of Annawon. Taking with him a few of the party, 
he set out, leaving Rowland behind. When they 
arrived at the swamp, he sent the Indian on to find 
his father. Wliilst he was gone. Church succeeded 
in discovering a narrow path, which led from a forest 
in the vicinity down to the swamp. Believing it to 
have been made by Indians, he ordered liis men to 
conceal themselves, some on one side, and some on 
the other. Presently the noise of footsteps were 
heard approaching them. In a few moments an old 
Indian made his appearance, with a gun resting care- 
lessly on liis shoulder, and a young squaw following 
him, each of whom had a basket. As soon as they 
reached a point in the path between the men. Church 
and his company suddenly rose from their ambush, 
and seized them. 

To prevent all collusion, between them, and by 
the correspondence of their answers to detect the 
truthfulness of their statements, he examined them 
apart. Taking the girl one side he asked, — 

" What company did you leave last ? " 

" Captain Annawon's," she answered. 

" How many men were with him when you left 1 " 

" Fifty or sixty," was her reply. 

" How many miles is it to the place where you 
left him ? " 



248 THE PRISONERS EXAMINED. 

" I don't know miles ; but he. is in Squannaconk 
Swamp." This was in the east part of Rehoboth, 
near Old Taunton. 

Turning from the girl, he commenced an exami- 
nation of the old man. He gave precisely the same 
information. 

" Can you get there by night 1 " asked Church. 

" If we set out immediately, and travel fast, we 
may reach there by sunset." 

"Who are you, and where were you going 1 " asked 
Church. 

"I am one of Annawon's men, and he has sent 
me after some of the tribe who have gone to Mount 
Hope Neck to kill provision." 

Church informed him that those men had been 
taken prisoners. > 

The Indian, who had gone after his father, now 
returned with him, bringing also another man. 

The active mind of Church soon devised a plan 
of procedure. 

" Men," said he, " will you go with me and give 
Annawon a visit ? " 

" Yes," was their unanimous answer. At the same 
time they told him that they knew that Annawon was 
a bold chieftain, and the men with him were among 
the bravest of the army. They doubted whether 
such a mere handful as they were could make any 
impression upon such a number of such men. Church, 



THE PRISONER TURNS GUIDE. 249 

however, was undaunted. He said he had been a 
long time searcliing for Annawon in vain, and he 
had not the least doubt that Providence would pro- 
tect them. Courage is sympathetic. When the 
men saw the fearlessness of Church, their objections 
became inoperative, and they desired to be led 
forward. 

Church now said to the old man whom he had 
taken, — 

" Will you be our pilot to Annawon ? " 

'' You have spared my life : I am bound to serve 
you," was his answer. 

They now set out towards Annawon's hiding- 
place, guided by the old man. After travelling as 
rapidly as possible, through woods, swamps, and 
tliickets, for several hours, the old man suddenly 
halted. 

" What 's the matter ? have you made a discov- 
ery 1 " asked Church. 

" No," replied the guide ; " but about this hour 
every day Annawon sends out his scouts to see that 
no enemy is in sight. As soon as it begins to grow 
dark, they wdll return, and then we can move on 
securely." When the shades of evening were suffi- 
ciently deep to furnish them a veil of safety, they 
renewed their march. As they started. Church asked 
the old man, — « 

" Will you take a gun, and fight for me ? " 



250 ANNAWON DISCOVERED. 

The Indian made a low bow, and said he hoped 
that they would not impose such a task upon him as 
to fight against Captain Annawon, his old friend. 
" But I will go along with you, and help you, and 
will lay hands on any man that shall offer to hurt 
you." 

After walking a short distance, a noise was heard. 
Church ordered the men to stop and listen. It was 
some one pounding corn. They now knew they 
were very near Annawon's retreat, and great caution 
was necessary to avoid detection. Near by was a 
high rock, one side of which was a perpendicular 
precipice ; the other side formed a gentle inclined 
plane. Church, and two of his Indians, crept slowly 
and silently up the sloping side of this rock till they 
reached its lofty summit. They then beheld a sight 
which was enough to have made any other than 
hearts of the bravest character quail with fear. An- 
nawon's whole band of fifty or sixty Indians were be- 
fore them. By the light of their numerous fires, 
which illumined the surrounding darkness, they saw 
that they were divided into three companies. Around 
the fires were groups of men and women, waiting 
for the pots to boil, or the meat to roast, which they 
were engaged in cooking. At the base of the rock 
was Annawon's lodging-place. It was formed by a 
tree leaning against a rock, and sheltered on each 
side with bushes. Annawon, ^vith his son, and some 



A PERILOUS ATTEMPT. 251 

of liis principal men, were there. As there was no 
possibiUty of lowering himself down the steep de- 
clivity, without detection, he crawled cautiously back 
and inquired of liis old guide if there was no other 
way of entering among them. The guide told him 
no. All the otlier sides of the swamp were guarded, 
and the Indians themselves had been ordered to 
come this way ; that if any attempted to enter at any 
other point, they would be taken for enemies, and 
shot. Church noticed that the men who were imme- 
diately around Annawon were not in possession of 
their arms. Their guns were leaning against a hori- 
zontal pole, which was supported by two crotchets, 
and were covered with mats to protect them from 
the dew. This was more favorable for him. Yet 
what could he do ? He had only a half dozen men, 
and Annawon had about sixty. To attempt their 
capture against such odds, must have seemed like a 
forlorn hope. Yet Church resolved to attempt it by 
stratagem. He told the guide and the young woman 
to take their baskets on their backs, and pass into 
the encampment at the usual place of entrance. In 
this way he thought Annawon would be deceived, 
and would imagine it some of his own party, espe- 
cially when he should recognize the old man whom he 
had sent after the Indians. Church crept down im- 
mediately behind the guide, with hatchet in hand, 
concealed by the dark shadow of his basket, which 



252 



the fires caused : then came the girl with her 
basket, in the shado\y of which crouched the rest of 
the party. In an instant they leaped over the head 
of young Annawon, who rolled his blanket around 
him and curled into a heap ; they then sprung for the 
stacked guns. Old Annawon started up, and with a 
cry of surprise signified that he was taken. Church 
told him that resistance was in vain, as the swamp 
was invested with a large army of the English, who 
would kill every one who showed a disposition to 
fight ; but if they would yield quietly, no harm 
should befall them. Tlie Indians with Church, who 
were well known to Annawon's men, ran in among 
the three difterent divisions of the enemy, told them 
the same story, and exhorted them to give up their 
arms without resistance, or death would be the con- 
sequence of refusal, as they were surrounded by 
large numbers of the English. Believing the stories 
to be true, they passively yielded themselves prisonei*s 
of war, and delivered up all guns, hatchets, and 
other weapons. Having succeeded thus far. Church 
knew it would not do to show the least degree of 
timidity, as that would expose his stratagem, and 
death would inevitably follow. He therefore kept 
on a bold front, and said to Annawon, " What have 
you got for supper, as I intend to sup with you ? " 

" Taubut," answered the cliief ; and then turning 
to liis women, he told them to furnish Captain 
Church and liis men a sunper. 



ANNAWON WITHDRAWS. 253 

« Which will you have," said Aiinawon, " cow- 
oeef or horse-beef 1 " 

" Cow-beef," rephed Church. 

In a short time it was ready, and the men made 
a good meal. After supper, Church told his men, 
if they would watch, and let liim sleep for two hours, 
he would keep guard the rest of the night, as he had 
had no sleep for thirty-six hours. They agreed to 
the proposal, and Church laid down to sleep. But 
after lying half an hour, and finding it impossible, 
under such circumstances, to catch even a short nap, 
he looked after his sentinels, and found them all 
enjoying 

" Tired Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep." 

Church had thrown himself do^vn by the side of 
Annawon, to prevent his escape. After some time, 
the cliief arose and walked away in the darkness. 
He was gone so long that Church began to suspect 
he had given him the shp. He therefore took all the 
guns, placed them near to himself, and then laid 
down close to young Annawon, so that no attempt 
upon Ms life could be made without perilUng the 
young cliief also. After a while, the painfiil sus- 
pense of Church was reheved by Annawon's return. 
He came mth a bundle in his hand. Kneeling at 
the feet of Church, he said, " Great captain, you 
have killed Pliilip, and conquered his country, for I 
22 



254 



believe that I and my company are the last that war 
against the English ; so I suppose the war is ended by 
your means, and therefore these things belong unto 
you." He then drew from his bundle a belt, nine 
inches broad, and seven or eight feet long, most beauti- 
fully embroidered, by having figures of beasts, birds, 
and flowers elaborately wrought into it, and a quantity 
of variegated wampum, or Indian money. Another 
belt, also highly embroidered, was next handed him. 
This was used as a head dress : from it hung two 
flags, wliicli fell over and ornamented the back. 
Then another he drew from his bundle, decorated 
with a star. This was designed for the breast. All 
of these belts were fringed with red hair, which was 
obtained from the Mohawks. He next brought out 
" two horns of glazed powder and a red blanket." 
" These," said Annawon, " are the royal robes and 
ornaments in which Philip was accustomed to array 
liimself on important public occasions ; they are all 
that remains of him. As you are his conqueror, I 
cheerfully give them to you." 

As it was impossible for either of them to sleep, 
in the exciting circumstances in which they were 
placed, they spent the remainder of the night in con- 
versation, in which the chief narrated tlie great vic- 
tories he had won over various tribes of Indians, 
when he fought under Massasoit. 

To Church time seemed to fly with leaden wings. 



CLOSE OF THE WAR. 255 

Night wore away with extreme slowness. He was 
impatient for the gray dawn of the morning. He 
had taken a large band of Indians, and was anxious 
to secure them before his stratagem was discovered. 
When it became light, he gave orders to march. 
They all set out for Taunton. On the way they 
met Lieutenant Howland, who was left behind when 
Church with liis few men accompanied the Indian 
who went in search of his father. A few words told 
the whole story, and filled him with amazement. 
They spent the night at Taunton. The next day, 
Church sent the great body of the Indians, under the 
care of Howland, to Plymouth. But Annawon and 
a few Indian soldiers he took with himself to Rhode 
Island, to his family, and from thence to Plymouth. 
Tliis may be regarded as the conclusion of Philip's 
famous war, for after this there was no organized 
opposition to the English. The central power which 
kept the enemy together was broken, and the sub- 
sequent exploits consisted mainly in pursuing and 
capturing small parties of Indians, who, perhaps, 
refused to submit quietly, for fear they would be 
punished for having taken up arms against the Eng- 
lish. Some of these closing skirmishes were fiill 
of interest. They exhibited ingenious stratagems, 
sleepless vigilance, and great bravery. They were 
attended, though on a small scale, with the promi- 
nent features of savage warfare. At the close of the 



256 THE PRISONERS ENSLAVED. 

war, the prisoners in the hands of the Enghsh were 
to be disposed of. It was a grave question, What 
shall be done with them ? Opinions were divided. 
Some inclined to mercy, and others to severity. 
The subject was discussed both as a political and 
religious question, and many passages of Scripture 
were examined in relation to it. The most knotty 
point of all was. What shall be done with Annawon's 
son, who would be his father's successor ] The 
court asked the opinion of the ministers. Samuel 
Arnold, the minister of Marshfield, and John Cotton, 
the minister of Plymouth, expressed the opinion, that 
*' the cliildren of notorious traitors, rebels and mur- 
therers, and such as have been the principal leaders 
and actors in such horrid villanies, and tliat against 
a whole nation, may, salva repuhlica, be adjudged to 
death." They referred as proof to various Scripture 
incidents. Increase Mather seems to have been in- 
clined to the same sentiment. Mr. Keith, minister 
of Bridgewater, favored a more merciful course. 
The conclusion was, the young chief was sold as a 
slave, and shipped to Bermuda. Many others of the 
prisoners shared the same fate. Old Annawon, 
and others who had killed any of the English, were 
executed. Church did all in his power to prevent 
such injustice and cruelty ; but he was overruled by 
a more potent influence. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

"Justice is lame, as well as blind, amongst us ; 
The laws, corrupted to their ends that make them, 
Serve but for instruments of some new tyranny, 
That every day starts up t' enslave us deeper." — Otwat. 

The Colonies affected by the Home Government. — Arrival of An- 
dres. — Encourages Episcopacy. — Declares Land Titles invalid. 

— Appropriates public Property to private Uses. — Prohibits 
Town Meetings. — Other Oppressions. — Andros imprisoned. — 
Nathaniel Clark seized. — Clark's Island. — The first Sabbath. 

— Wiswall imprisoned. — Absence from Town Meetings fined. 

— A Price for Wolves' Heads. — The first Selectmen. — The 
first Marriage. — An honored Lady. — Introduction of Neat Cat- 
tle. — First Record of Horses. — A Present to Philip. — Merry 
Mount. — Weetamore beheaded. — Its Eflect on the Indians. — 
French Vessel wrecked. — The Crew seized as Prisoners. — 
Doctor Le Baron. — His Settlement and Marriage. — His Attach- 
ment to the Cross. — A Premium for Rats' Heads. — First pub- 
lic Celebration of " The Landing." — The Dinner. — The fa- 
mous Rock. — Its Locality proved. — The Evidence of Elder 
Faunce and others. — The Rock splits. — A good Omen. — Is 
removed. — Treatment of Tories. — Wonderful Egg. — Dreadful 
Shipwreck. — Statistics. 

As the colonies increased in size and importance, 
they attracted more of the attention of the king 
and parhament of Great Britain. Their condition 
was materially affected by the changes in the home 
government. What they feared most was, that at- 
tempts would be made to abridge their liberties. 
These apprehensions were fully realized, when, on 
23* 



258 TYRANNY OF ANDROS. 

the 29th of December, 16S6, Sir Edmund Andros 
arrived, bringing with him the commission of gov- 
ernor of all the New England colonies. He wi.s 
a man of arbitrary spirit, and though, at first, he 
made professions of liberality, he ruled like a tyrant. 
He abridged the freedom of the press. He encour- 
aged episcopacy, which had never existed in Mas- 
sachusetts Bay. He desired the Puritans to relin- 
quish one of their meeting-houses for the episcopal 
church. Their answer was, " We cannot, with a 
good conscience, consent." They were compelled 
to yield ; and by an act of tyranny, the Book of 
Common Prayer was read by one in a white 
surplice, in a Puritan place of worship, in Boston. 
Those who refused to lay their hands on the 
Bible, when they took an oath, were fined and 
imprisoned. He declared the usual legal titles to 
lands invalid, and subjected the people to great ex- 
pense to get their titles confirmed. He appropri- 
ated public and private property to the use of his 
own partisans. He, with his council, who were 
appointed by the crown, assessed all taxes. He pro- 
hibited all town meetings, except for the choice of 
town officers ; fined and imprisoned those who 
spoke too freely against his administration ; pun- 
ished town clerks who refused to give up, at his 
demand, their town records. He demanded exorbi- 
tant fees for all pubhc business ; required all under 



ANDROS IMPRISONED. 259 

his government to transact probate business in the 
probate court at Boston. This, of course, sub- 
j^:>cted those who resided in the distant colonies to 
great inconvenience, loss of time, and expense. In 
various other ways did he oppress the people, until 
they were obliged to present their complaints against 
him to the king. These were received with no favor. 
His despotic administration continued until the ac- 
cession of William and Mary, when the people of the 
colonies rose in arms, seized Andros, confined him 
in prison, obliged him to resign, and then re-chose 
their old governor, Simon Bradstreet, who was 
nearly ninety years of age. 

As soon as the news of the change in the govern- 
ment reached Plymouth, the people there laid hands 
upon one Nathaniel Clark, a man of similar political 
sentiments and spirit with Andros, whose parasite he 
was, and imprisoned liim. One reason for this was, 
that Clark, under the usurped authority of Andros, 
had taken possession of an island in Plymouth Har- 
bor, which had been appropriated by the town for the 
support of their poor. 

It was the island on which the Puritans kept their 
first Christian Sabbath in New England, when they 
were in search along the coast for a harbor. It was 
therefore associated in their minds with pleasant, 
sacred reminiscences. No ^ther spot, probably, 
could have been wrested from them which woUld 



260 PREMIUfll FOR wolves' HEADS. 

have given them more pain to part with than this. 
So indignant were Mr. Faunce and Rev. Mr. Wis- 
wall, the minister of Duxbury, at tliis high-handed 
robbery, that they interfered in the matter. For this 
interference they were prosecuted, fined, and put 
under bonds to appear at the higher court in Boston. 
Mr. Wiswall was subsequently sent to prison. As 
the natural result of Clark's oppressive and rapacious 
conduct, the people of Plymouth were incensed 
against him, and gladly availed themselves of the 
first favorable opportunity to bring him to justice. 

We propose now to group together a variety of 
facts, having no connection with each other, yet too 
interesting to be omitted. 

In 1646, it having been observed that town meet- 
ings were not well attended, an order was passed 
that every person who should be absent from such 
meeting after being regularly summoned, should be 
fined twelve pence, unless he could furnish a satis- 
factory excuse. 

Three years afterwards, a town meeting was held 
at the Jiouse of Governor Bradford, where it was or- 
dered that whoever should kill one or more wolves, 
and show the skins or heads as evidence of such 
death, should receive fifteen shillings for each one 
destroyed within the liberties of the town. On the 
same occasion, a number of individuals agreed " to 



FIRST SELECTMEN. 261 

pay two cents apiece to any Indian who shall kill a 
wolf, and make it known to the governor by u^^ 
doubted testimony ; and such as shall kill lesser 
wolves, shall have an axe or hatchet for each one 
killed." It was also agreed, that five wolf-traps 
should be made by several companies of the towns- 
men, the names of whom were to be put upon paper, 
that arrangements might be made to have the traps 
properly tended. 

The first appointment of selectmen to manage the 
affairs of the town occurred the same year, when 
seven " discreet men " were chosen, whose duty it 
was to dispose of lands, to provide employment and 
support for the poor, and take charge of the affairs 
of the town generally. A few years after this, their 
powers were considerably enlarged. 

The first marriage in the colony was solemnized 
on May 12, 1621, between Mr. Edward Winslow 
and Mrs. Susannah White. Mr. W. had been a 
widower between two and three months. The lady 
was the widow of Mr. William White, and mother 
of Peregrine White, the first English child born in 
the colony. Mr. Baylies says, " It is a singular co- 
incidence, that Mrs. White should have been the first 
mother and the first bride in a country which has 
produced a race so distinguished as the New Eng- 
landers. This would have been cited by the ancients 
as an instance of rare and happy fortune, if we add 



262 INTRODUCTION OF CATTLE AND HORSES. 

to that the peculiar happiness of having been the 
wife of a distinguished governor of her own colony, 
and the mother of another, equally distinguished, 
who, to his other, added the high and solitary honor 
of having been the commander-in-chief of the forces 
of the confederate colonies, in a war involving their 
existence." The fortune of such a lady must be 
regarded as " transcendently prosperous." When 
Win slow was sent to England as agent for the col- 
ony in 1623, he brought back, on his return, three 
heifers and a bull. These were the first neat cattle 
introduced into the colony. 

About twenty years after this, we find horses are 
spoken of. The first record concerning them was 
made in 1644, when we learn that a mare, belonging 
to the estate of Stephen Hopkins, was valued at six 
pounds sterling. Three years subsequent, a colt was 
appraised at four pounds sterling, and a mare and 
colt at fourteen pounds sterling. Ten years later, 
the court passed an act, that every freeholder who 
should own three mares, and who would " keep one 
horse for military service, should be freed from all 
mihtary service, training, and watching." During 
the time that the colony was without horses, it was 
not an unusual thing for them to ride upon bulls, as 
we have seen in the case of Mr. John Alden, who 
went after his bride and brought her home in that 
manner. In 1665, the court presented Philip, the 



A BEAUTIFtJL HILL. 263 

Indian chief, with a horse. '"' It would gratify curi- 
osit}^ to know in what manner King Phihp, and the 
natives in general, were affected by the first sight 
of horses and cows. Their minds must have been 
overwhelmed with astonishment to see men riding 
on horses and bulls." 

There is in Quincy a beautiful swell of land near 
the water, about one hundred feet high, from which 
a fine view may be obtained of a delightful landscape, 
embracing on one side hill and dale, dense forest 
and open plain ; and on the other, the numerous 
islands and forts in the bay, which, when the ocean 
is calm, appear like jewels on the surface of a mir- 
ror ; whilst farther beyond may be seen the city of 
Boston, crowned with its elevated State House, the 
tall granite monument on Bunker Hill, and the white 
spires of numerous churches in the surrounding vil- 
lages. All combined, they present, especially in a 
pleasant day, a scene of enchantment which, when 
once beheld, will not be soon forgotten. But, like 
many other beautiful spots of earth, it has been the 
scene of lawless merriment, drunken carousals, and 
midnight orgies. In 1625, Captain Wollaston, with 
thirty others, commenced a settlement here, which 
gave to the place the name of Mount Wollaston. 
Among the company was one Thomas Morton, who, 
when Wollaston left, managed to obtain the control 
of affairs. He opened trade with the natives, and 



264 MERRY MOUNT. 

devoted the profits of it to sports by day, and 
drunken carousals by night. He changed the name 
of the place to one wliich he doubtless designed to 
be more appropriate, calling it Merry Mount, where, 
according to the New England Memorial, they set 
up a " May-pole, drinking and dancing about it, and 
frisking about it like so many fairies, or furies rather ; 
yea, and worse practices, as if they had anew re- 
vived and celebrated the feast of the Roman goddess 
Flora, or the beastly practices of the mad bacchana- 
Hans." He furnisJied the Indians with gunpowder, 
and taught them how to use it. He supplied them 
with ardent spirits. He gave servants their liberty, 
and, being destitute of moral principle, he encouraged 
all kinds of dissipation. The government at Plym- 
outh at first wrote to him admonitory letters. To 
these he gave no heed ; until, finally, his influence 
becoming so deleterious, they sent Captain Standish 
to seize him. Wlien Standish arrived, he found 
Morton prepared to resist liim ; but by adopting, as 
he well knew how, timely and decisive measures, he 
succeeded in seizing liim and carrying liim to Plym- 
outh. Morton was sent to England, but was per- 
mitted to return the following year. He indulged 
in various accusations and bitter invectives against 
the Puritans, which, after his return, were used as 
evidence against him. He was denominated the 
accuser of the brethren. He was tried by the 



A SQUAW BEHEADED. 265 

court, who fined him one hundred pounds. Behig 
destitute of property, he was unable to pay it. It is 
said that nothing but liis okl age saved him from the 
wliipping-post. He withdrew to Acamenticus, where 
he terminated his dissolute course a year or two after. 

The old-fashioned method of lining the hymns, 
wliich is still practised in some parts of the country, 
was introduced into the Plymouth church in 1681. 
One line was read, and after this was sung then 
another was read, and so on to the end of the hymn. 
It is said that tliis practice \yas proposed in the 
church by a brother ivTio could not read. The pastor 
first announced the number of the psalm, and then 
the elder lined it off. 

In the month of August, 1667, Weetamore, the 
squaw sachem of Pocasset, was drowned in attempt- 
ing to escape from her pursuers, by crossing Tetti- 
cut River on a frail raft. Some of the inhabitants 
of Taunton, finding the dead body of a squaw in 
Mettapoisett, cut oflf her head. It was found to be 
the unfortunate Weetamore. She had been bitterly 
opposed to the English, and, according to Doctor 
Mather's testimony, " she was next unto Phihp, in 
respect of the mischief that hath been done." When 
her head was placed upon a pole in Taunton, the 
Indian prisoners who were there instantly recognized 
it, and " made a most horrid and diabolical lamenta- 
tion, crying out that it was their queen's head.'* 
23 



266 DR. LE BARON. 

It is painful to contemplate such unnecessary bar- 
barity. It is an illustration of the tendencies of war 
to blunt and harden the sensibilities of the heart. 

In 1696, a vessel was wrecked in Buzzard's Bay. 
It proved to be a French privateer. The crew were 
seized and carried as prisoners to Boston. This 
was after the colonial charter of Plymouth was ab- 
rogated, and she was united with the colony of Mas- 
sachut^etts Bay, as a British province. It was for 
this reason that they were taken to Boston, instead 
of Plymouth. Among- these shipwrecked prisoners 
was a surgeon by the name of Le Baron. As Plym- 
outh was at that time destitute of a physician. Dr. 
Le Baron was called upon to perfoi'm a surgical 
operation there. He did this with so much success, 
that the selectmen of the town sent a petition to 
Lieutenant Governor Stoughton, praying for Le 
Baron's liberation, in order that he might settle as a 
physician in Plymouth. Their petition being granted, 
the imprisoned Le Baron took up -his abode among 
them, and entered updn his professional career. He 
formed an acquaintance with Mary Wilder, to whom 
he was soon after united in marriage. He continued 
the practice of medicine here until liis death, which 
occurred in 1704. Le Baron was a rigid Catholic. 
So strong were his religious prepossessions, that he 
never went to sleep at night without placing a small 
cross on his breast. He was a man of benevolent 



THE FIRST CELEBRATION. 267 

disposition, of which we have one evidence in a dona- 
tion which he made of fifty acres of woodland to the 
town. It is stated by Thatcher, that " from this 
stock all that bear the name of Le Baron in this 
country are descended, and they are numerous and 
respectable." This, of course, is true only upon the 
supposition that no others of the same name have 
ever immigrated to America since his day. 

In 173S, it was voted, that for every full-^'own 
rat that should be killed, threepence should be paid 
out of the public treasury ; and six years later it was 
voted, that every male head of a family should pro- 
cure ten grown rats' heads, or pay a fine of sixpence 
per head for all that fell short. 

The first time that the landing of the Pilgrim 
fathers was publicly celebrated in Plymouth was 
December 22, 1769. The Old Colony Club, which 
had been formed in January of the same year, 
originated and carried through the celebration. 
The morning was opened with a discharge of 
cannon. An elegant silk flag waved in the breeze 
from the top of the hall, bearing the inscription,: 
« Old Colony, 1620." At 11, A. M., the members, 
of the club assembled in the hall, and from thence 
proceeded to an inn kept by Mr. Howland, upon the 
identical spot where stood the first licensed house of 
the old colony. As some may be interested to know • 
the kind of fare with which they were furnished oa 



2(58 A PECULIAR DINNER. 

that occasion, we will give the dishes. "1, a large 
baked Indian whortleberry pudding ; 2, a dish of 
sauquetach, (pronounced sukketash, corn and beans 
boiled together;) 3, a dish of clams; 4, a dish of 
oysters and a dish of codfish ; 5, a haunch of veni- 
son, roasted in the first jack brought to the colony ; 
6, a dish of sea-fowl ; 7, a dish of frost fish and eels ; 
8, an apple pie ; 9, a course of cranberry tarts, and 
cheese made in the Old Colony." In imitation of 
their ancestors, all luxury and extravagance were 
avoided, the dishes being dressed in the plainest 
manner. After dinner, a procession was formed of 
the members, headed by the steward of the club 
bearing a large volume of the laws of the colony, 
who marched hand in hand to the hall. When they 
arrived in front of the hall, a company of the de- 
scendants of the first settlers formed a regular file, 
and greeted them with a discharge of small arms 
and three clieers. These were returned by the club, 
and " the gentlemen generously treated." After 
this, the scholars of the grammar school joined in 
singing a song appropriate to the occasion. At sun- 
set, a cannon was fired and the flag struck. In the 
evening the hall was beautifully ilkuninated. The 
president occupied the antique chair, which was for- 
merly the property of Governor Bradford. Addresses 
were made, sentiments expressed, and toasts drank. 
At 11, P.M., a cannon was fired, and after three 
hearty cheers the company withdrew. 



forefathers' rock. 269 

The thrilling emotions awakened in the mind by 
a visit to the famous Forefathers' Rock, are some- 
times checked by the thought that perhaps there is 
some uncertainty in its traditionary location. It 
becomes, therefore, an interesting question, On what 
evidence does the generally received opinion rest, 
that this is the identical rock on which the Pilgrims 
first stepped 1 In answer to this question, Mr. Rus- 
sell, in his interesting " Guide to Plymouth," says, 
" Besides the general and undisputed tradition which 
designates it as that on which the fathers landed, it 
was ascertained to be the same on an interesting 
occasion in the hfe of Elder Thomas Faunce, the 
last ruling elder in the first church of Plymouth, 
who was born in the year 1646, and died in the year 
1745, at the advanced age of ninety-nine years. In 
the year 1741, the elder, upon learning that a wharf 
was about to be built near, or over the rock which, 
up to that period, had kept its undisturbed rights at 
the water's edge, and fearing that the march of im- 
provement might subject it to injury, expressed 
much uneasiness. Though residing three miles from 
the village of Plymouth, and then in declining health, 
he left home, and, in the presence of many citizens, 
pointed out the rock we have described as being that 
on which the Pilgrims, with whom he was contem- 
porary and well acquainted, had uniformly declared 
to be the same on which they landed in 1620. Upon 
33* 



270 OPPOSITION TO THE BRITISH. 

this occasion, this venerable and excellent man took 
a final leave of this cherished memorial of the 
fathers. The circumstances above related were 
frequently mentioned by the late Hon. Ephraim 
Spooner, deceased, who was present upon the occa- 
sion connected with Elder Faunce. He was deacon 
of the church of Plymouth forty-one years, and fifty- 
two years town clerk, and died March, 1818, aged 
eighty-three years. The same information was com- 
municated by Mrs. Joanna White, widow of Gideon 
White, deceased, who was intimately acquainted in 
the family of Elder Faunce. She died in 1810, aged 
ninety-five years. And the same account has been 
transmitted by other aged persons, now deceased, 
within the recollection of many now living." 

During the political excitements that preceded the 
declaration of independence, the inhabitants of 
Plymouth were not idle. They were deeply inter- 
ested in the questions of the day, and adopted efii- 
cient methods of exhibiting their opposition to the 
tyramiical measures of the British Parliament. In 
1772, a town meeting was called, at which a petition, 
signed by over a hundred inhabitants, was presented, 
calling attention to the distressed and alarming situ- 
ation of the country, in consequence of the oppres- 
sive policy of the British government, and praying 
the town to take the subject into careful considera- 
tion. After this petition was read, the town ap- 



REMOVAL OF THE ROCK. 271 

pointed a standing committee, to open a correspond- 
ence with other towns upon the existing troubles, and 
the best course to pursue with regard to them, and 
to adopt any other measures which, in their judgment, 
the exigency of the case might demand. As the 
unjust and tyrannical laws of the Enghsh Parliament 
increased, the opposition of the Plymouthites was 
strengthened. 

In 1774, it was resolved to use the famous Fore- 
fathers' Rock, as fuel to increase in intensity the 
flame of indignation, already burning, against the 
tyranny of the mother country. 

For this purpose, it was deemed desirable that the 
rock should be raised from its natural bed and 
placed in a central part of the town, where it might 
be daily and hourly seen, and where it might be 
constantly, though silently, saying, — 

'< Come listen to my story, 

Though often told bei'bre, 
Of men who passed to glory, 

Through toil and travail sore ; 
Of men who did for conscience' sake 

Their native land forego, 
And sought a home and freedom here, 

Two hundred years ago.'' 

A large number of the patriotic citizens of the 
town assembled on the interesting occasion. Forty 
oxen were brought down to the shore to draw the 
rock from its ancient, secluded resting-place into 



272 THE ROCK BREAKS. 

its more exposed position. By means of powerful 
screws it was raised from its bed ; but in the attempt 
to place it upon the carriage, it fell apart. As no frac- 
ture had been discovered in it, and as it separated 
without violence, it excited great surprise. This 
singular phenomenon was at once seized upon by the 
enthusiastic jiatriots of the town as a most favorable 
omen. They explained it as significant of a division 
of the British empire. After deliberation, it was 
decided to remove only one part of the rock. This, 
after being placed upon the car, was slowly drawn 
through the streets, followed by a great number of 
persons, to the Liberty Pole Square, near the meeting- 
house, where it is said a flag was raised over it, con- 
taining the brief, stern motto of defiance, " Liberty 
or Death." 

Having accomplished its object there, it made 
another journey on July 4, 1834, to its present loca- 
tion, in front of Pilgrim Hall. This was anotJier 
great day for Plymouth. The whole town was alive 
and full of excitement. Old and young, males and 
females, were inspired by the occasion. The chil- 
dren of the several schools in the town, both boys and 
girls, headed the procession. They had with them 
a car bearing a model of the Mayflower, beautifully 
decorated. It was drawn by six boys. After them 
came the older inhabitants, and others, many of 
whom were the hneal descendants of the Pilgrims, 



PROTECTION OF THE ROCK. 273 

and bore their names. Thej passed over that eleva- 
tion of land known as Cole's Hill, where the remains 
of those who died during the first winter were laid. 
When they arrived in front of Pilgrim Hall, and 
deposited the precious memorial in what is presumed 
to be its last resting-place, a volley of musketry was 
fired over it by the Standish Guards ; an address 
was delivered by Dr. Charles Cotton, and devotional 
services were conducted by Rev. Dr. Kendall. Tliis 
portion of the rock is now protected by a noble 
structure, serving the double purpose of security to 
the rock, and a monument to the Pilgrims. Thatch- 
er's description of it is as follows ; " The fabric was 
erected in June, 1835, and consists of a perfect 
ellipse, forty-one feet in perimeter, formed of wrought- 
iron bars, five feet high, resting on a base of hammered 
granite. The heads of the perpendicular bars are 
harpoons and boat hooks, arranged alternately. The 
whole is embellished with emblematic figures of cast 
iron. The base of the railing is studded with em- 
blems of marine shells, placed alternately reversed, 
having a striking effect. The upper part of the 
railing is encircled with a wreath of iron castings, in 
imitation of heraldry curtains, fringed with festoons ; 
of these are forty-one, bearing the names in bas- 
relief of the forty-one Puritan fathers who signed 
the memorable compact, while in the cabin of the 
Mayflower, at Cape Cod, 1620. This valuable and 



274 VENERATION FOR THE ROCK. 

interesting acquisition reflects honor on all who have 
taken an interest in the undertaking. In the original 
design, by George W. Brimmer, Esq., ingenuity and 
correct taste are displayed ; and in all its parts, the 
work is executed with much judgment and skill. 
The castings are executed in the most approved 
style of art. This appropriate memorial will last for 
ages, and the names and story of the great founders 
of our nation will be made familiar to the latest 
generation." 

Fragments of this rock are scattered far and wide 
throughout our country. .That intelligent French- 
man, and careful observer of the spirit and institu- 
tions of the Americans, De Tocqueville, says, " This 
rock has become an object of veneration in the Unit- 
ed States. I have seen bits of it carefully preserved 
in several towns of the Union. Does not this suffi- 
ciently show that all human power and greatness is 
in the soul of man ? Here is a stone which the feet 
of a few outcasts pressed for an instant, and the 
stone becomes famous ; it is treasured by a great na- 
tion ; its very dust is shared as a relic. And what 
has become of the gateways of a thousand palaces ? 
Who cares for them ? " 

During the struggle that preceded the independ- 
ence of the United States, there were in Plymouth 
two parties, the whigs and tories, the former of 
whom were by far the most numerous. The tories 



ABUSE OF THE TORIES. 275 

sympathized with the king and Parhament, and 
were, therefore, considered as enemies to America. 
They were subjected to various insuhs and punish- 
ments. The pubhc authority obhged them to make 
a full and public recantation of their unpopular po- 
litical opinions over their own signatures. These 
we^e published in the papers. When summary pun- 
ishment was inflicted upon any of them by the 
populace, different methods were adopted. Some- 
times the lawless rioters would amuse themselves 
with a sport which they called " smoking the tories." 
This was done by confining the offenders in a room, 
building a fire on the hearth, and then covering the 
top of the chimney. Of course, all the smoke would 
be retained in the room. At other times they would 
apply a coat of tar to the person, and cover it with 
feathers. Not unfrequently they would make the 
poor horse of some obstinate tory suffer for the sins 
of his master, by shaving his tail, and cropping his 
ears. On one occasion, a man by the name of Dun- 
bar exposed for sale in the market a beef qx, which 
had been killed by a tory, who had rendered himself 
peculiarly obnoxious to the citizens. As soon as 
this was known, a number of the more excitable por- 
tion of the populace assembled together, put Dunbar 
in the carcass of the ox, clothing him with it as if it 
were a coat ; they then tied the tripe around his neck 
for a cravat, and in that humiliiting condition carted 



276 THE WONDERFUL EGG. 

him out of town. Being a man of determined spirit, he 
refused to keep out. He shortly returned on horse- 
back. He was ordered off, but obstinately refused 
to go. The people being highly incensed at what 
they regarded as stubbornness, tied him on his horse 
and conducted him off. He resisted with so much 
energy as to be considerably injured. The crowd 
finally procured a cart, in wliich they conveyed liim 
some distance beyond the town. 

During this year, the British general, Howe, was 
engaged in military operations to reduce the Ameri- 
cans to submission. A harmless trick was resorted 
to in Plymouth, perhaps by a tory, by which public 
excitement was increased. An egg was discovered, 
on the shell of which coidd be plainly read, " O 
America, America ! Howe shall be thy conqueror." 
It was taken from the nest, and exliibited to the 
people when assembled for public worship. So great 
was the agitation which it occasioned, that for some 
time the meeting was suspended. The tories pre- 
tended to believe it was a supernatural revelation. 
They construed it as an omen favorable to their 
cause. Some of the opposite party were also 
inclined to the same opinion, as they knew not how 
to account for it in any other way. But one less 
credulous than the rest gave to the matter a tinge 
of the ridiculous, by observing that it was absurd to 
«!uppose that the Almighty would reveal his decrees 



APPALLING CATASTROPHE. 277 

to man through the medium of an old hen. The 
affair not only became the town talk and a nine 
days' wonder, but was also the subject of grave 
newspaper connnent, and the alarm which it pro- 
duced in the minds of the timid and superstitious 
was truly surprising. 

In the month of December, 1778, a catastrophe of 
a most appalling nature occurred off Plymouth Har- 
bor. The brig General Arnold, carrying twenty 
guns, with a crew of one hundred and five souls, 
under the command of James Magee, of Boston, left 
that port on the 24th, on a cruise, this country being 
then engaged in war with Great Britain. Being 
destitute of a pilot, she was driven upon the flats 
near Plymouth. She soon filled with water, when 
the order was given to cut away the masts. As 
many of the men were drunk, it was difficult to keep 
them in a state of subordination. A tremendous 
storm came on, accompanied with snow and sleet. 
On Saturday, the 26th, a considerable number of the 
men died. On Smiday morning the vessel was in a 
fearfully perilous condition. She was completely 
enshrouded in ice. So violent were the wind and 
the raging waves, that the inhabitants on shore 
found it impossible to reach her, or to extend the 
least assistance. The horrors of their situation may 
be inferred from what was found to be their condition 
the next day. By that time the sea had so far sub- 
24 



278 SCENE ON A WRECK. 

sided that she could be visited. "It is scarcely pos- 
sible for the human mind to conceive of a more 
appalling spectacle. The ship was sunk ten feet in 
the sand. The waves had been for about thirty-six 
hours sweeping the main deck ; the men had crowded 
to the quarter deck, and even here they were obliged 
to pile together dead bodies to make room for the 
living. Seventy dead bodies frozen into all imagina- 
ble postures, were strewn over the deck or attached 
to the shrouds and the spars ; about thirty exhibited 
signs of life, but were unconscious whether in life or 
death. The bodies remained in the posture in which 
they died, the features dreadfully distorted ; some 
were erect, some bending forward, some sitting with 
the head resting upon the knees, and some with both 
arms extended, clinging to spars or some parts of the 
vessel. The few survivors and the dead bodies were 
brought over the ice on sleds and boards, and the 
dead were piled on the floor of the court house, ex- 
hibiting a scene calculated to impress even the most 
callous heart with deep humility and sorrow. It has 
been said that the Rev. Mr. Robbins fainted when 
called to perform the religious solemnities. Those 
bodies that were to be deposited in coffins were first 
put into the town brook ; a considerable number 
were seen floating on the water, fastened by ropes, 
that their form might be made to conform to the 
coffin. But about sixty were thrown into a large 



EFFECTS OF ABSTAINING FROM LIQ,UOR. 279 

pit as they were taken from the vessel. This pit is 
in a hollow on the south-west side of the burial 
ground, and remains without a stone. The greater 
part of those who were found aUve expired soon 
after." The captain survived. He drank no spirits, 
but poured it freely into liis boots. Almost all those 
who drank liquor perished, " several being found 
dead in the very spot where they drank it." What 
a powerful argument is this in favor of total absti- 
nence ! This mournful catastrophe, without doubt, 
was made the subject of Sabbath discourse, and we 
can imagine what must have been the solemnity and 
impressiveness of the service. 

We have not in the preceding pages given any in- 
formation as to the increase of Plymouth at different 
periods. Tliis omission will now be supplied. It 
will be remembered that one hundred came over in 
the Mayflower, in 1620, of whom one half died 
during the first winter. In 1624, there were one hun- 
dred and eighty ; in 1629, three hundred. In 1631,. 
there were between four and five hundred. In 1643, 
the males from sixteen to sixty years of age were 
one hundred and forty-six. In 1646, the number of 
voters, seventy-nine. Four years afterwards it was 
only fifty-one. In 1683, the voters numbered fifty-five, 
and in 16S9 they amounted to seventy-five. Leaping 
over a century, we find in 1764 the whole number 
of inhabitants, including seventy-seven colored per- 



iiSO NUMBER OF INHABITANTS. 

sons and forty-eight Indians, was two thousand two 
hundred and twenty-five. In 1776, the year of the 
declaration of independence, they numbered two 
thousand six hundred and fifty-five. In 1783, at the 
termination of the revolutionary war, there were 
only two thousand three hundred and eighty ; in 
1800, three thousand five hundred and twenty-four ; 
in 1820, four thousand three hundred and forty-eight ; 
in 1840, five thousand two hundred and eighty-one. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

" How could my tongue 
Take pleasure and be lavish in their praise ? 
How could I speak their nobleness of nature, 
Their open, manly heart, their courage, constancy, 
And inborn truth, unknowing to dissemble ? 
They are the men in whojii my soul delights, 
In whom, next Heaven, I trust." — Rowe. 

Attachment to the Scriptures. — Reason of Puritanic Singnlarities. 
— Precise in their Manners. — Their Ministers of equal Au- 
thority. — Their Government republican. — Their Self-reliance 
and divine Dependence. — Were not vindictive. — Did not come 
here to establish universal Toleration. — Their Object was Lib- 
erty for themselves. — This the Origin of their Opposition to 
other Sects. — The prospective Influence of their Principles. 

Having now given an account of some of the 
most important events which have occurred in the 
history of Plymouth since its first settlement, we 
cannot, perhaps, more appropriately close the subject 
than with a brief sketch of the character and princi- 
ples of the Puritans. 

One of their most prominent traits was a con- 
scientious adherence to what they believed were the 
teachings of the Sacred Scriptures. To them the 
authority of God was all and in all. Believing as 
they did that the Bible was his revealed will, they 
made that their exclusive guide in matters of faith 
and practice. Creeds, characters, and customs were 
all tried by this unfailing test, and all was rejected 
24* 



282 REVERENCE FOR THE BIBLE. 

which, in their opinion, did not stand this ordeal. 
Laws and regulations adopted by them, which, at 
the present day, are stigmatized as singularities, were, 
in many instances, the legitimate fruits of their strict 
adherence to the teachings of the Bible. The pecu- 
liarities of some of their, forms of legislation were 
occasioned by their imitation of ancient Jewish cus- 
toms. Thus, in New Haven the members of the 
constituent committee were called the " seven pillars 
hewn out of the house of Wisdom," and Rhode Island 
performed for one or two years a " Jewish mas- 
querade." Their language was quaint, because in- 
terlarded with the phraseology of Scripture. They 
disapproved of wigs, veils, and long hair. They were 
equally opposed to immodest and extravagant ap- 
parel, because both were alike at variance with the 
simplicity and purity inculcated by the Bible. They 
were precise in their manners, because, as one of 
them said, they had " a precise God to deal with." 
They repudiated crosses and beads, surplice and 
prayer books. To their minds, these were too inti- 
mately allied to Rome. They denied the superi- 
ority of the bishops over other orders of ordained 
ministers. With them, all the ministry occupied the 
same official platform — they were all bishops, pos- 
sessing equal official privileges and powers. They 
maintained that the church was independent of the 
ministry ; that every church possessed the right of 



PURITANS ^OT VINDICTIVE. 283 

electing its own pastor ; that no power out of them- 
selves, whether king or archbishop, had any right to 
impose upon them a minister, contrary to their 
wishes. In ecclesiastical and civil government they 
were republican — the majority ruled. 

Although they cherished strong confidence in God, 
and acknowledged his hand in all the events of 
providence, they did not dispense with self-reliance. 
They were Cdlvinists, but not fatalists. They be- 
lieved that as men have purposes, so has God ; that 
these purposes result from his infinite wisdom and 
goodness, and will inevitably be accomplished, with- 
out the least interference with the free agency of 
man. They cultivated confidence in God in con- 
junction with self-dependence. Their works went 
with their faith, and were the fruits of it. Crom- 
well developed the union of these apparently con- 
flicting principles, when, in making an' attack in a 
rainy day, he said to his soldiers, " Trust in God and 
keep your powder dry ; " and when on another occa- 
sion he said, " He that prays best and preaches best, 
will fight the best." 

The Puritans were not vindictive. We know 
there are those who deny this, and who assert that 
they were governed by "a bigoted despotism, with 
which they domineered over all who departed from 
their stern creed, and who would not consent to 
stand day and night in the strait jacket in which they 



284 PURITANS MISREPRESENTED. 

enveloped alike the feeble and the strong." We 
are aware that it has been said, " the tyranny with 
which they were oppressed in England was light in 
comparison to the relentless and unsated animosity 
with which they pursued the Quakers, the most 
harmless and kindest sect the world ever saw." It 
is not uncommon to meet with indiscriminate, whole- 
sale denunciations of this character. From some 
representations wliich have been given, it would be 
easy to infer that the Puritans were a most bigoted, 
tyrannical, superstitious, revengeful, and persecuting 
sect ; that their excellences have beeli altogether 
overrated, and their memories too highly honored. 
With all this we have no sympathy. It is our firm 
conviction, that the more their principles are under- 
stood and their characters known, the more they 
will be admired. That they had their imperfections, 
is not denied. That a number of their particular 
measures, such as their selling captured Indians into 
slavery, their barbarous practice of beheading, quar- 
tering, and exposing portions of the bodies of their 
enemies, their persecutions of the Quakers, Baptists, 
and others, and their cruel treatment of reputed 
witches, should be strongly condemned, is also ad- 
mitted. These are dark shadows in their history, 
the existence of which cannot be too deeply regret- 
ted. But we should remember that they Hved in a 
darker period than the present ; that what public 



PERSECUTION OF OTHER SECTS. 285 

opinion now condemns, public opinion then ap- 
proved ; that their conduct was in harmony with the 
spirit of their age. 

Their persecutions of the Quakers, the Baptists, 
and others whom they termed schismatics, seemed 
to them to be demanded by the necessity of the case. 
In respect to the Quakers, it cannot be concealed 
that they gave provocation. The Friends of the 
present generation are not guilty of the practices of 
those who lived two centuries ago, neither do they 
approve them. It has been well said, that " if the 
essential guilt of persecution would be aggravated 
when aimed against the quiet, patient philanthropist 
of the present day, it does not therefore follow that 
it would be attended with like aggravation, however 
wicked else, when the subject was the mischievous 
madman of two centuries ago, with \v1iom the Mas- 
sachusetts colonists 'had to deal. We suppose that 
the duty of toleration, comprehensive though it be, 
stops somewhere short of allowing men and women, 
for conscience' sake, to run as naked as they were 
born through the streets and into the churches ; or, 
at all events, that it does not require the permitting 
of people to gain a name like Abraham's, by sacri- 
ficing their own sons, as one of the Quakers in 1658 
was proceeding to do, when liis neighbors, alarmed 
by the boy's cries, broke into the house in time to 
interfere." 



286 HOW TO EXAMINE THEM, 

To do the Puritans justice, we should examine 
their conduct from their stand point ; we should look 
at it throuf^h their eyes and with their heart. If 
they had come here in order to establish a govern- 
meat of universal religious toleration, to provide a 
peaceful home for all rehgious sects, then their per- 
secution of others would have been at direct variance 
with their principles. But this was not their object. 
They braved a winter's voyage across the Atlantic 
that tliey might find a place where they could wor- 
ship God according to their own conscience, without 
molestation from others. They sought liberty for 
themselves, not for the world ; a place of freedom 
where they could serve their Maker, and train up 
their children according to their own views of duty, 
witliout the embarrassment of an arbitrary govern- 
ment, or of opposing sects. When, therefore, other 
dent)minations presented themselves within their 
limits, and claimed the right of promulgating senti- 
ments which the Puritans regarded as unscriptural 
and highly dangerous, they were prohibited. " We 
cannot permit it," said the Pilgrim fathers. " The 
diffusion of such sentiments through our little com- 
munity will disturb our peace, will corrupt the purity 
of our faith, will engender hatred and strife, and will 
imperil the souls of our children. The toleration 
of such sects among us will defeat the object for 
which, with so much suffering and toil, we have 



PURITANS CONSCIENTIOUS. 287 

come to America. If you desire liberty, go off by 
yourselves, and form an independent colony as we 
have ; but come not within our borders, to be snares 
to our feet and thorns in our side." But when 
those whom they deemed heretics refused to go, 
they verily thought they were doing God service 
in punishing them, as Saul of Tarsus did, when per- 
secuting the Christians of the first century. To 
form our opinion of them with the impression on 
our minds that they possessed all the light upon re- 
ligious freedom which we enjoy, is to treat them 
unfairly. The great doctrine of " soul liberty " 
they had not received, although it was proffered 
them by Roger Wilhams, and therefore our con- 
demnation of them must not be quite so severe as 
if they had embraced it. 

Although these considerations do not justify the 
severities of the Puritans towards other sects, they 
are yet worthy of examination, when forming our 
opinion of their character. They were indus- 
trious, frugal, self-denying, and persevering ; they 
were the friends of education, and early endowed 
schools and colleges. They were sympathetic, 
benevolent, and affectionate. They endeavored to 
make tlie will of God their rule of conduct, and 
the glory of God the great end of life. If their 
descendants are sufficiently wise to adopt similar 
principles, and consistently maintain them in all the 



288 EFFECT OF PURITAN PRINCIPLES. 

relations of life, the institutions which they have 
planted, and which are the living fountains of our 
prosperity, will continue to bless our country till the 
end of time. 

" O, never may they rest unsung-, 
• While Liberty can find a tongue ! 
Twine, Gratitude, a wreath for them, 
More deathless than the diadem. 
Who to life's noblest end 
. Gave up life's noblest powers, 
And bade the legacy descend 

Down, doAvn to us and ours." — Sprague 



